PORT TOWNSEND — Depending on who you ask, the one-year delay for replacing the eastern Hood Canal Bridge floating span is either a blessing or a curse.
“The positive component is that it gives another year for our local businesses to be sustainable and get cash in the bank,” said Port Townsend city Marketing Director Nancy Borino.
But Port of Port Townsend Director Larry Crockett looks at the bottom line.
“As a taxpayer, everything is going to be more expensive now,” he said.
The eight-week closure of the bridge, originally planned for May 2006 was pushed back a year because of delays in constructing the graving yard in Port Angeles.
Construction of the huge concrete dry dock to build pontoons and concrete anchors bridge was halted last August, and won’t fully restart until this August.
The stoppage was caused by the discovery of Native American remains and artifacts on the Port Angeles waterfront site, which once was home to a Klallam tribal village.