PORT ANGELES — The first phase of the $3.9 million waterfront esplanade began Monday, as crews closed off the western half of Railroad Avenue.
Traffic is now blocked on Railroad Avenue between Laurel Street — at the MV Coho ferry terminal — and Oak Street to the west for the start of the $17 million Downtown Waterfront Development Project.
Businesses in the area will remain open during construction.
The overall project will include the redevelopment of the entire three-block length of Railroad Avenue to transition it to a more parklike atmosphere.
Construction will be temporarily interrupted Friday through Sunday, during the Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival, which takes place at City Pier, at the east end of Railroad.
Afterward, Railroad Avenue will be closed again until Dec. 31.
All work must be finished by Jan. 15, in time for a state Department of Fish and Wildlife “window” for the spawning of nearshore fish.
A second phase of the project will begin in March.
Later this month, Black Ball Ferry Line, owner of the MV Coho, also will start a $3.5 million project to replace its western dock and improve the terminal area.
“It should be about a five-month project,” said Rian Anderson, Black Ball district manager.
The Black Ball pier project is not expected to interfere with vehicle or ferry traffic, Anderson said.
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
