The Hood Canal Bridge provides a critical connection for travelers to the Olympic Peninsula and an interesting passage for boaters planning to explore marine destinations in Hood Canal. Bridge repairs are scheduled for this summer, which will affect vehicle traffic and vessel traffic too tall to pass under the truss ends of the bridge.
A Unique Bridge. The 1.5-mile-long Hood Canal Bridge is unique. There is no other bridge like it. Near the center of the bridge is a complex opening segment with two mirrored stations which open to create a passage for vessels up to 600 feet wide. Each of the two stations consists of a massive hydraulic system that raises a 300-foot section of grated road deck to allow a 480-foot-long section of the floating bridge to retract.
An important element of the opening segment, called the Center Lock, keeps the two retractable segments of the bridge closed and aligned for vehicle traffic. Pyramid-shaped metal pieces (6 ft high, 4 ft wide) on the east retractable segment of the bridge help guide the draw span together into dual receivers located on the other retractable segment of the opening. Typical of floating pontoon bridges, the Hood Canal Bridge has steel cables (48 of them) that keep the floating bridge pontoons in place. The cables extend 2,000 feet to anchors on the seafloor and back to the pontoons.
The Harsh Environment. This important bridge must withstand the harsh salty environment and the pressures of winter storms, fluctuating tides, and strong current. These harsh conditions necessitate regular inspections, maintenance, and repairs. While work on the bridge is scheduled months in advance, work schedules can change due to the need for optimal weather, including calm seas and winds to carry out repairs.
Scheduled Repairs. Crews from the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will be working in May and June 2023 to bolster the Center Lock to better withstand the sea’s tremendous forces. Crews will also be making repairs to the pyramid system. During these repairs, workers are suspended from the edge of the bridge with the roadway open to repair the pyramids. The bridge is currently scheduled to be closed to vehicle traffic late evenings (10pm or 11pm) to early morning (generally 4am) on the following dates:
- May 13, 15, 16, 17
- May 20, 22, 23, 24
- June 10, 12, 13,
- June 17, 19, 20, 21
For a current schedule of bridge closures, go to the WSDOT website.
Passage for Recreational Boats. Federal regulations require recreational mariners to navigate under the truss spans on each end of the bridge whenever possible. Mariners should not request draw span passage if their boat’s vertical clearance allows use of the elevated areas on each end of the bridge. Vertical clearance at Mean High Water on the Kitsap County east end of the bridge is 50 feet and 31 feet on the Jefferson County west end of the bridge.
Mariners who cannot navigate under one of the truss spans can request a Hood Canal Bridge draw span opening by calling (360) 779-3233. At least an hour’s advance notice is required for an opening. The time it takes to open and close the draw span for marine traffic can vary from about 10 minutes to 45 minutes.
Notice for Mariners. Due to bridge maintenance and possible work schedule changes, a request to open the draw span may be denied. Boaters should call the bridge tender at (360) 779-3233 to inquire about the current status of operations for the center draw span. The U.S. Coast Guard has not yet provided a Local Notice to Mariners regarding the Hood Canal Bridge.
