A crossing that now takes about two minutes will be an hour-long trip once the Hood Canal Bridge is closed on May 1 for six weeks for the $499.8 million replacement of the floating structure’s decrepit east half.
“But even with the extension of time, it’s less costly than driving around,” said Becky Hixson, state Department of Transportation bridge project business and communications manager.
“We’re really encouraging people to use this system as the most reliable and cost-effective route.”
Docks at South Point in Jefferson County and Lofall in Kitsap County are nearly decked, and park-and-ride lots have lighting and striping still to be done.
When the barricades on state Highway 104, the approach to the bridge, go up at 12:01 a.m. on May 1, motorists will be able to park their vehicles at the Shine Pit and Port Gamble park and rides, or take the No. 7 Jefferson Transit bus from stops throughout Jefferson County to the Shine park and ride, ride express service from Clallam County or a private shuttle from Port Gamble Park and Ride to the Lofall water shuttle dock.
Park and ride lots for 1,500 vehicles each in Port Gamble and at Fred Hill Materials Shine Pit are scheduled to open April 29, said Eric Strauch, DOT Hood Canal Bridge project design team leader.
Security will continue around the clock until the bridge reopens.
The lots will be open to the public from 3 a.m. until midnight. Drivers can leave their vehicles at the park and ride lots for the duration of the six-week closure.
Other travel options during the closure include car ferry service from Port Townsend to Keystone and then Clinton to Mukilteo, nightly car ferry service between Edmonds and Port Townsend, driving U.S. Highway 101 around the Hood Canal or air travel.
Transit service
Jefferson Transit will provide free direct service between the South Point water shuttle dock and the Port Townsend/Port Hadlock/Port Ludlow area.
Clallam Transit plans to provide daily express transit service from Port Angeles and Sequim area to the South Point water shuttle dock.
Free daily express service is expected to run during the peak hours of the day.
For more information about current routes, visit www.clallamtransit.com or phone 360-452-4511.
Jefferson Transit’s route No. 7 will operate directly to the South Point water shuttle terminal.
For more information about current routes, visit www.jeffersontransit.com or phone 360-385-4777.
DOT officials are finalizing the Kitsap County schedule for bus service, which is expected be provided by Seattle’s Starline Luxury Coaches.
Free 149-passenger water shuttle service provided by Port Angeles’ Victoria Express, will cross Hood Canal between the temporary docks.
The water shuttle service will run every 30 minutes across the canal, starting at 4 a.m. and ending at 11 p.m. seven days a week.
Water shuttle customer service information is available at 1-877-595-4222.
Medical transport
DOT also has established a free reservation-only medical bus service for transport to Kitsap County locations. It is for people with scheduled, life-sustaining treatments, not emergencies or regular medical check-up appointments.
The medical bus reservation phone number is 877-595-4222.
A water shuttle “ambulance” will be docked at South Point in the event of a medical emergency transport to Kitsap County or Seattle hospitals, with Jefferson County emergency medical technicians from Port Ludlow, Poulsbo and other fire districts trained for duty.
Car ferry
To get to the Seattle area, travelers can take the Steilacoom II car ferry between Port Townsend and Keystone on Whidbey Island, now in operation then take another ferry between Clinton and Mukilteo and drive.
During the bridge closure, Washington State Ferries also will provide Sunday-through-Thursday nightly car ferry service on an Issaquah-class ferry with capacity for six 82-foot tractor trailer trucks and 86 passenger vehicles in each direction.
Reservations will be taken for travel on this route, with priority given to commercial vehicles.
The ferry will leave Edmonds at 8:40 p.m., and leave Port Townsend at 10:40 p.m. The crossing time will be about one hour and 45 minutes.
Travelers can begin making reservations in mid-April by phoning 877-595-4222.
Olympic Bus Lines
The Dungeness Line of the Port Angeles-based Olympic Bus Lines will provide scheduled trips from Port Angeles to Seattle-area stops, arriving at and departing from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and taking the Port Townsend-Keystone and Clinton-Mukilteo ferries to get around the bridge project.
Reservations for Olympic Bus Lines, www.olympicbuslines.com/, can be made from Port Angeles-Sequim by phoning 417-0700, or long distance at 1-800-457-4492.
A Port Townsend-Edmonds “twilight cruise” will make one round trip Sunday through Thursday between 10:40 p.m. and 12:15 a.m. Travelers can begin making reservations in mid-April by phoning 877-595-4222.
Air service
Kenmore Air will increase the number of flights between Port Angeles and Boeing Field, with up to eight choices beginning May 1, said Andrew Otterness, customer services manager.
As an added public service, the company is offering up to three seaplane flights daily at the Inn at Port Hadlock and the Resort at Port Ludlow, with the Seattle destination being Lake Uniion.
Flights times will be between 20 and 35 minutes each way.
Flights may be booked online at www.kenmoreair.com or by phoning Kenmore Air reservations between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at 866-435-9524 or 360-452-6371.
Charter flights are available out of both Jefferson County International Airport, south of Port Townsend, and William R. Fairchild International Airport in Port Angeles.
Port Townsend’s Goodwin Aviation, www.goodwinaviation.com/, can be reached at 360-531-1727. Port Angeles’ Rite Bros Aviation, www.ritebros.com, can be reached at 1-800-430-7483 or 360-452-6226.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com
