PORT TOWNSEND — The face of the city’s shoreline is about to change forever.
Work is expected to begin within the next 10 days to remove more than 200 pilings that for decades have protruded from the tidelands, from Hudson Point to Boat Haven Marina.
“It could be as early as late next week, but more than likely be the week after that,” David Roberts, state Department of Natural Resources assistant regional manager in the Aquatic Lands division, said of the work that now awaits final authorization from his department.
Work in Port Angeles Harbor is yet to be scheduled after a contract is awarded for creosote piling removal there, said Roberts.
“The operating window for removing this is between now and March 15,” Roberts said.
After March 15, salmon migration season begins, stopping any work in the water.
The work in Port Angeles would include removal of the old A-frame structure on Ediz Hook and several hundred pilings at Oak Street, west of the Coho Ferry terminal.
Contractor ready to begin
Port Gamble-based Caicos Corp., has been contracted to perform the Port Townsend work for $190,000 while the company is already in the area to renovate Hudson Point Marina for the Port of Port Townsend.
Caicos president David Berry on Thursday indicated that the company was prepared to start work shortly after getting the final word from Resources.
“We’re hoping to get the green light while the weather is still good,” Berry said, adding that he expects the job will take a month or less, if weather allows.
Berry, who says piling removal is one of the company’s specialties, anticipates that Caicos will start work on the transfer span, towers and wingwall near the Boat Haven Marina jetty, part of the old railroad trestle.
The city of Port Townsend recently designated the trestle as surplus so Caicos could remove it.
The project is jointly being conducted among Resources, the city and Port of Port Townsend.
Other concentrations of pilings and the large “dolphins” to be removed are off the old Quincy Street ferry dock, at Indian Point near The Tides Inn and at or near Boat Haven marina.
The remainder of the trestle near the Boat Haven is expected to be budgeted by DNR for removal next year, said Roberts, as are pilings at Old Fort Townsend State Park, in Port Hadlock Marina, and Fort Flagler State Park on Marrowstone Island.
