PORT ANGELES – The Tumwater Creek bridge on Eighth Street will be closed at 9 a.m. Monday in preparation for its demolition.
“Just plan a little extra time in the morning,” said Teresa Pierce, city communications coordinator.
“Be aware of signs that weren’t there before.”
None of the new signs or traffic signals, which are now covered, will be unveiled until Monday morning, she said.
“We purposely did that to avoid that Monday morning commute to work,” Pierce said.
“So, I suspect that Tuesday morning will be worse than Monday.”
A second bridge, the Valley Creek bridge, is expected to close for demolition and rebuilding no sooner than Sept. 17.
The route over the two bridges, a primary east-west arterial in Port Angeles, will be closed for at least 14 months.
Some 12,000 vehicles per day will be diverted elsewhere during the closure.
The aging bridges will be taken down and replaced with concert girder bridges in a project costing the city $18.4 million.
The new bridges are expected to be open again on Nov. 1, 2008.
“Here we go,” Pierce said on Friday. “Remodeling is never fun, but it will sure will be nice when it’s over.”
