Date:  Wednesday, April 01, 2009

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

SHINE – With the six-week closure of the SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge just one month away, time to get ready is running short. But it hasn’t run out.

People affected by the closure can prepare by learning about their travel options, planning ahead and getting their questions answered. They can do all of this by calling 1-877-595-4222 or visiting http://www.hoodcanalbridge.com/, which now features videos on how to get around and an interactive online map to schedule trips to and from the Olympic Peninsula.

“We have a number of resources readily available to help people find the information they need to get ready for the bridge closure,” said Dave Ziegler, principal engineer for the project. “This won’t be an easy period for people who rely on the bridge, but there are travel options to help them get around.”

Transportation options include:

• A fare-free passenger-only water shuttle between Jefferson and Kitsap counties with fare-free transit connections, and nearby park and rides
• A Sunday through Thursday reservation-based car ferry between Port Townsend and Edmonds to assist freight haulers and drivers
• A fare-free, reservation-based medical bus service that will transport people to and from the Olympic Peninsula, Kitsap County and Seattle
• Driving around on US 101 and SR 3
• Ridesharing
• Chartering flights on local airlines, and rides on buses and boats

To get an idea how people will travel during the closure, WSDOT is inviting drivers to take on-line survey at http://www.hoodcanalbridge.com/. WSDOT is working to ensure travelers “know before they go” by regularly updating its Web site, blog and project information line 1-877-595-4222, sending regular e-mail updates, and providing the latest views of the highways via traffic cameras. Drivers can get up-to-the-minute information on incidents that affect traffic by calling 511, listening to WSDOT’s highway advisory radio, getting text message updates, or viewing signs along the highway.

“Keeping travelers in the know during the closure is vital to ensuring everyone can get where they need to go safely and as quickly as possible,” Ziegler said.

The Hood Canal Bridge retrofit and replacement, which is on schedule and now 90 percent complete, improves the existing east half, making it wider, safer and more reliable. For more information on the closure, which begins May 1, visit http://www.hoodcanalbridge.com/.

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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or by dialing 5-1-1.

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