UPDATE: No problems with Hood Canal Bridge opening on Sunday

Posted

UPDATED 3:15 p.m. Sept. 13

The scheduled marine traffic opening of the Hood Canal Bridge was completed routinely in about 20 minutes Sunday morning, Sept. 13.

UPDATED 6:42 p.m. Sept. 12

The Hood Canal Bridge opened at 5:48 p.m. Saturday for marine traffic, and it went OK with only about a 30-minute delay for vehicles.

The floating bridge is slated to open for marine traffic at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 13.

UPDATED 12:30 p.m. Sept. 12

WSDOT reports that Hood Canal Bridge is scheduled to open for marine traffic at 4:45 p.m. Saturday and 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 13. Both those openings coincide with slack tides, and motorists are advised to expect normal delays of up to 60 minutes for each opening. By law, WSDOT is required to open the bridge drawspan to mariners within one hour’s notice.

UPDATED 5 p.m. Sept. 11

Two marine openings of the Hood Canal Bridge are scheduled this weekend: at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, and at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 13.

Both those openings coincide with slack tides, and motorists are advised to expect normal delays of up to 60 minutes for each opening, according to WSDOT.

UPDATED 3:20 p.m. Sept. 11

Hood Canal Bridge has reopened to traffic following a 2:45 p.m. Sept. 11 closure for a marine passage. With the help of powerful tugs, crews were able to realign the drawspan minutes after marine vessels passed through the opening, according to WSDOT.

UPDATED 11:50 a.m. Sept. 11

The Hood Canal Bridge is slated to close to vehicle traffic at 2:45 p.m. today, Friday, for vessel traffic, the WSDOT reported Friday morning.

Postponing the beginning of the closure by one hour (it had been scheduled to begin at 1:45 p.m. today) will not change the scenario of a potentially extended vehicular closure through slack tide at 5:30 p.m., according to a WSDOT press release.

WSDOT will attempt to reopen the bridge to traffic as soon as possible.

This change illustrates the flexible nature of requests by mariners to open the Hood Canal Bridge for boat passage, WSDOT reported.

The extended vehicular closures are the result of three converging circumstances that risk putting the bridge’s drawspan out of alignment: 1) high tides; 2) a disengaged anchor cable being replaced as part of a planned construction project; and 3) requests by mariners for drawspan openings, which by law WSDOT must accommodate within one hour’s notice. WSDOT asks mariners to request drawspan openings only at slack tide throughout the weekend while the anchor cable is being installed and tensioned.


ORIGINAL STORY Sept. 10

A Hood Canal Bridge closure could delay vehicle traffic for up to four hours when it closes at 1:45 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, for a marine drawspan opening, according to the state Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

The opening of the drawspan coincides with anticipated high tides, creating a similar circumstance that led to the extended six-hour closure to vehicle traffic Sept. 9.

Friday’s strong tides could once again prevent the drawspan from closing until slack tide around 5:30 p.m., according to WSDOT.

The potential for extended drawspan openings is the result of three converging factors: a disengaged anchor cable near the drawspan that is being replaced; a marine opening; and high tides. Construction crews estimate the new anchor cable will be installed and tensioned by noon Sunday, Sept. 13.

WSDOT recognizes the inconvenience these delays pose to travelers and will make every effort to close the drawspan once marine traffic has passed. U.S. Coast Guard regulations require WSDOT to open the drawspan to mariners within one hour’s notice.

Through mid-Sunday, Sept. 13, motorists are encouraged to check WSDOT’s Hood Canal Bridge web page that lists requests for drawspan openings by any private or commercial vessel, tinyurl.com/ncuaftq.

Military vessel openings are not posted due to Homeland Security concerns.