Date:  Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Contact: Joe Irwin, Hood Canal Bridge Communications, 253-305-6412 
             Becky Hixson, Hood Canal Bridge Communications, 253-305-6450

SEATTLE – Hood Canal Bridge pontoon assembly work was completed Friday, Sept. 19 as WSDOT and contractor Kiewit-General connected the final four of 17 pontoons needed to construct the bridge’s new east half.

Crews began connecting pontoons U, V, W and X at Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle Aug. 12. The operation required that the four pontoons be perfectly aligned, pulled together tightly with steel strands through a process called post-tensioning and grouted.

The work was on schedule and marks the completion of new pontoon assembly for the entire project.

“The connection of the final four pontoons is an excellent sign of the forward progress the Hood Canal Bridge Project is making,” said Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond. “Once this section is assembled, pontoon work will be able to fully shift to installing superstructure and roadway – which is one of the final legs of major construction.”

The four pontoons – which stretch to a combined 925 feet – are ready for crossbeams, girders and roadway. The connection of U,V, W and X brings the overall project to 84 percent complete.

The final pontoon assembly is another milestone for the Hood Canal Bridge Project and another step toward the six-week closure in May-June 2009.

Retrofit and replacement of Hood Canal Bridge will take place from May-June 2009 and will improve the existing structure, making it wider, safer and more reliable. For more information, visit http://www.hoodcanalbridge.com/.

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