SHINE — State Transportation officials on Thursday made an Aug. 11-15 weekend closure official for Hood Canal Bridge work.
The closure will affect visitors coming through Bainbridge Island and the Kitsap Peninsula via state Highways 3 and 104 to attend the Jefferson County Fair, which will be held Aug. 12-14; the Northwest Steam Society annual Steam Meet on Aug. 12-13; and Heritage Weekend Aug. 13 in Port Angeles.
During the closure period, motorists will be required to use alternative routes or transportation modes around the floating bridge that connects state Highway 3 on the Kitsap Peninsula to the North Olympic Peninsula’s state Highway 104.
A second weekday closure for bridge work — tentatively Aug. 21-25 — is expected to be confirmed next week with bridge contractor Kiewit-General Construction Co. of Poulsbo, said Nick Dawson, public information officer with the Department of Transportation’s Olympic Region.
“I think it’s important to note that they are committed to do the closures during the first weekend period,” Dawson said after the state Department of Transportation announcement was sent out Thursday.
Two August closures
The current schedule will close the bridge twice in August — one weekday closure and one weekend closure, a state decision that came after weeks of public comment and a survey.
Kiewit-General officials said the first closure will begin at 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, and end by 4 a.m. Monday, Aug. 15.
The second closure remains tentatively scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21, and end by 4 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 25.
During the closures, Kiewit-General will replace the bridge approach spans that connect the floating structures to the land.
The approach spans are fixed structures built on concrete piers. The west approach span is 190 feet long and the east-half approach span is 640 feet long.