— from John Van Lund —
Crews will begin backfilling both the east and west abutments with gravel, and will continue placing scour protection, which is a barrier of large rocks that helps minimize water erosion. Cofferdam sheet piling was removed from the east abutment last week (see photos below), and the same activity will occur at the west abutment this week. The construction zone will be prepped to make room for an additional crane to be brought in for girder placement the following week. Crane transportation will not result in any road closures.
The girder delivery is still scheduled to begin December 12 and extend into the following week. A Message Board will be set up at each end of the project. We expect the delays to be no more than one hour.
Construction work will be shut down before Christmas and begin again January 2. The earliest the new bridge will be open to traffic is mid-February.
Please drive safely.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
