WSDOT completes final Hood Canal Bridge pontoon float-ou

8-1-08 WSDOT is pleased to announce the final two pontoons for the east-half of the Hood Canal Bridge were floated out of the graving dock in Tacoma, Wash. Earlier today, pontoons U and W – the last of the bridge’s new 14 east-half pontoons – were towed by tugboats to Pier 6 at Todd Pacific Shipyard in Seattle. There the pontoons will be the pontoons will be connected and the superstructure and roadway will be added. WSDOT is focused on keeping this project on schedule and this major milestone will help us meet the May – June 2009 Hood Canal Bridge closure. Here’s how it happened:• 4:45 p.m.: The graving dock was flooded with water and the gates were removed• 5:15 p.m.: Pontoon U was towed out of the graving dock• 5:50 p.m.: Pontoon W was towed out of the graving dock• 6:30 p.m.: The pontoons were both clear of the graving dock and the gate was put back in place. We will be posting a time-lapse video of the float out in a few days at: www.HoodCanalBridge.com , click on “Cycle Four Pontoon Float Out”
Visit www.HoodCanalbridge.Com for more information about the bridge and the east-half replacement and west-half retrofit project.