Date:  Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Contact: Joe Irwin, Hood Canal Bridge Communications, 253-305-6412
             Theresa Gren, Hood Canal Bridge Communications, 253-305-6428

VANCOUVER, WASH. – WSDOT marked another milestone today as crews at Oregon Iron Works (OIW) completed construction of the Hood Canal Bridge’s new west transition span. The span – or truss – is one of two that will connect the floating bridge’s pontoons to State Route 104 approach spans in Kitsap and Jefferson counties.

Vancouver, Wash.-based OIW started assembling the 280-foot-long, 70-foot-wide, 35-foot-tall trusses in 2007. Fabrication work on the structure’s individual pipe sections began in 2004.

The new transition span is large enough to hold a wingless Boeing 727 and is 30 feet wider than the existing west half of the bridge. It will match the new east half, which is currently being constructed, and improve safety by providing more room for drivers and bicyclists.

“It feels great to see the first truss being complete. It’s been a long time since we first worked on the design in 2000,” said Geoff Swett, Bridge Technical Advisor for the Hood Canal Bridge Project. “As far as the project, the completion of the west truss is a big milestone toward the bridge closure in 2009.”

The new west truss is comprised of tubular supports – like those used on oil rigs – and will better handle the harsh marine environment of the Hood Canal. These enormous supports range in diameter from 20-42 inches and are designed to add strength to the wider trusses without adding excessive weight.

Construction is already underway on the east truss. Fabrication of the pipe sections for that span is complete, and assembly will begin once the west truss is removed from the hangar-sized work space at OIW. Overall truss construction is 56 percent complete.

The truss work is being done in conjunction with the ongoing State Route 104 Hood Canal Bridge retrofit and replacement project which will improve the existing structure, making it wider, safer and more reliable. The bridge will close for six weeks during May-June 2009 to allow WSDOT and contractors from Kiewit-General to remove and replace its eastern half. For more information, visit http://www.hoodcanalbridge.com/.

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