PORT ANGELES — Why is it taking so long?
Why can’t they move faster?
When it comes to reaching an agreement among all the agencies on the procedures needed to restart construction of the Hood Canal Bridge graving yard on Port Angeles’ waterfront, officials say only that it’s a lengthy and difficult process.
The shutdown is costing $30,000 a day, or $1.3 million so far, based on terms of the contract.
Five groups are negotiating a mutual agreement — state Department of Transportation, Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, Federal Highways Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the state Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.
“We hope we can all agree to move forward as quickly as we can,” says Linda Mullen, Transportation’s director of communications.
Mullen says Transportation officials cannot estimate how the delay of construction will affect the timeline to build the huge onshore dry dock — or replace the eastern portion of the deteriorating Hood Canal Bridge, which was — and may still be — scheduled for spring 2006.
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The rest of the story appears in Sunday’s Peninsula Daily News.