Links
WSDOT Project Home
Hadley, Homer More (1885-1967), Engineer
|
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Kiewit-General of Poulsbo submitted the apparent low bid of
$204 million to repair and replace the 42-year-old Hood Canal
Bridge.
Bids were opened at 11 a.m. today, June 18, at the Washington
State Department of Transportation headquarters. The
Kiewit-General bid appears to be within WSDOT’s budgeted amount
for the project. The department will now initiate a bid
verification process that will result in a bid award
announcement within the next two weeks.
“The bid opening is the culmination of years of work,” said
Ron Lewis, project manager. “This is a major milestone for WSDOT
engineers and staff, local community leaders, resource agencies
and political supporters.”
In November 1997 the Washington State Transportation
Commission approved funding for design work and public
involvement efforts for replacement of the east half of the
State Route (SR) 104 Hood Canal Bridge.
The eastern half of the floating bridge was originally
constructed in 1961 and is nearing the end of its structural
life. A severe marine climate, accelerating deterioration, draw
span unreliability and a desire to bring the bridge up to higher
design standards makes the east-half Hood Canal Bridge one of
the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT)
highest priority bridges for replacement in its 3,150 bridge
inventory.
Why is WSDOT replacing the bridge?
The eastern half of the Hood Canal Bridge is nearing the end of
its structural service life and will not be reliable after 2007.
Repairs would not significantly extend the life of the bridge
and rebuilding is more cost effective.
The End Result
When finished the Hood Canal Bridge will have a new wider east
half floating section, new approach sections and transition
trusses on the east and west ends. In addition, the west half
will be widened to allow for continuous 8-foot shoulders across
the entire length of the bridge--matching the new east half.
View the future look of the bridge in the design visualization
photograph.
What are the project timelines?
The Washington Transportation Commission approved funding for
design of the east-half bridge replacement in November 1997.
Work on the construction plans started in December 1997. A
committee made up of local government and community
representatives began developing a closure mitigation plan in
1999. Construction of the pontoons is scheduled to begin in 2003
and the new pontoons will be floated into place in spring 2006.
Project Facts
• Replaces the east half floating portion of the bridge.
• Replaces the east and west approach spans.
• Replaces the east and west transition truss spans.
• Cost: $205 Million
• Final configuration will provide 8-foot continuous shoulders
across the entire length of the bridge to allow for breakdowns,
bridge maintenance, and allow bicycle/pedestrian safe passage.
• Overall Bridge Length = 7,869 feet
• Depth of water below floating pontoon = 80 to 340 feet
• The anchors holding the bridge in place are 685 to 1,875 tons
a piece and are attached to the bridge by 3-inch cables.
Hood Canal Bridge History (Provided by WSDOT)
Background:
In November, 1997, the Washington State Transportation
Commission approved funding for design work and public
involvement efforts for replacement of the east half of the
State Route (SR) 104 Hood Canal Bridge.
The eastern half of the floating bridge was originally
constructed in 1961 and is nearing the end of its structural
life. A severe marine climate, accelerating deterioration, draw
span unreliability and a desire to bring the bridge up to higher
design standards makes the east-half Hood Canal Bridge one of
the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT)
highest priority bridges for replacement in its 3,150 bridge
inventory.
The western half of the bridge was rebuilt and open to
traffic in 1982, after a severe storm in February 1979 caused
its failure and sinking. As part of the west-half design work,
plans were also prepared for replacing the older east half, but
were not implemented based on a value engineering study that
indicated the most prudent thing for the WSDOT to do was to make
use of the remaining 15 to 20 years of structural life.
Historical Facts:
- Construction of
the State Route (SR) 104 Hood Canal Bridge began January 1958
and was opened to traffic on August 12, 1961.
- The Hood Canal
Bridge was the second concrete pontoon floating bridge
constructed on Washington’s highway system. It one of the
world’s few floating bridges over a salt-water tidal basin.
- Cost to construct
the original bridge was $26,630,000.
- The Hood Canal
Bridge was named in honor of William A. Bugge by the
Washington Highway Commission at the request of the Washington
State Senate on July 12, 1977. William A. Bugge was director
of the Department of Highways from 1949 to 1963, and was a
leader in the planning and construction of the bridge.
- The pontoons for
the floating bridge were constructed at a graving dock along
the Duwamish River in Seattle and towed by tugs to the bridge
site.
- The west half of
the bridge failed and sank on February 13, 1979 during a storm
carrying wind gusts of 120 miles per hour and sustained winds
of 85 miles per hour. The west half was rebuilt and opened to
traffic in October 1982.
- Costs for
replacement of the west half and rehabilitation of the east
half of the bridge was $143,000,000.
- The overall bridge
length is 7,869 feet (approximately 1.5 miles). It has a
center draw-opening of 600 feet.
- Average daily
traffic across Hood Canal Bridge is approximately 14,000
vehicles. Peak volumes reach 20,000 vehicles on summer
weekends.
- The water depth
below the floating bridge pontoons ranges from 80 to 340 feet.
In its marine environment, the bridge is exposed to tide
swings of 16.5 feet.
- During inclement
weather, the draw span is retracted (closing the bridge to
vehicle traffic) when winds of 40 miles per hour or more are
sustained for 15 minutes.
Toll Facts:
- Tolls were set in 1962 at
$1.30 for car and driver, and .30 for each passenger.
- In 1974, tolls were set at a
flat $1.50 per car and remained at that level until the bridge
sank.
When the bridge reopened in October 1982, tolls were set at
$2.50
- Tolls were reduced to $2.00 in
April 1983
- Tolls were removed on August
29, 1985.
|
|
