PORT TOWNSEND — The Port of Port Townsend has taken its first visible steps toward a design of a new south jetty at Point Hudson.
The entrance to Point Hudson was blocked Tuesday night and will be blocked again tonight while crews gather soil samples to gain information for a final design of a new jetty.
A barge crew from Seattle-based Mott MacDonald Engineering is performing subsurface investigative borings at the marina entrance.
“That work is necessary for us to determine the subsurface soil conditions that will allow the consultants to complete the designs for the breakwater repair,” said Kimberly Matej, communications coordinator for the Port of Port Townsend.
“It’s just investigative work.”
The entrance to Point Hudson was set to be blocked on and off from 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to 8:30 a.m. today. Crews will close the entrance again from 5:30 p.m. today to 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Matej said.
Very little light or noise disruptions are expected, Matej said.
Port officials expect to release the findings of the soil assessment as soon as it is available to them, she said.
The information will help port officials finalize the design plan for the replacement of the south jetty at Point Hudson. Matej said no date is set for the finalized plan, although construction on the project is still slated for roughly July 2018.
To replace just the south jetty will cost the port an estimated $3,067,000. However, the marina’s north jetty also must be replaced. That is expected to cost about $2,253,000.
The port has received a grant from the state Recreation and Conservation Office for $1,059,173.
To fund the entire project, port officials are planning to take on more debt. They have contacted the city of Port Townsend and the Northwest Maritime Center to help determine a cooperative solution that would save the historic marina, which hosts the annual Wooden Boat Festival.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
