Repair work brings overnight full closures on SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge Sept. 21-25

Crews will repair steel tracks on the westbound span

SHINE - Travelers who use the State Route 104 Hood Canal Bridge should prepare for a series of overnight closures.

The Hood Canal Bridge will close nightly to all travelers from 8 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. the following day Sunday, Sept. 21 through Thursday, Sept. 25.

During the closures, contractors working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will make repairs to the moveable bridge's steel tracks on the westbound span. The repairs are necessary to maintain alignment between the spans of the bridge.

Due to the nature of the work, the bridge will not open to any vehicle traffic, including emergency response.

No easy detour

Travelers looking to get around the closure must take a three-hour trip along the Hood Canal using SR 3 and US 101, or by boat using the Port Townsend ferry.

WSDOT understands the significance bridge closures have on communities on the Olympic Peninsula. The work is scheduled at night and after the summer travel season to minimize disruptions to travelers and communities served by the bridge.

Why repairs are needed

The moveable westbound span of the Hood Canal Bridge sits on wheels that roll it back when the drawspan opens for boat traffic. These wheels move along stationary steel tracks. Watch the video.

Wind, storm and tides keep the bridge in constant motion. This motion causes the wheels to gyrate and bounce against the steel track. Severe weather and extreme tidal events have caused an increase in wear and tear on the track.

Dents left in the track by the wheels are now deep enough that they are affecting the drawspan alignment. If the span does not align properly, it can cause the bridge to malfunction during an opening for boat traffic. It can also prevent the bridge spans from coming back together.

During the closures, contractors will straighten and weld the steel track to remove the dents so that the drawspan aligns properly. The work must be performed before the next storm season to keep the bridge functioning properly.

Unique bridge requires ongoing maintenance

The SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge is the longest floating bridge in the world located in a saltwater tidal basin. The salty, marine environment of the 300-foot-deep Hood Canal requires the structure to have ongoing maintenance and construction.

How to check Hood Canal Bridge status

WSDOT offer several ways for bridge users to stay up to date in real time. Travelers can add these handy links to their travel toolkit when planning trips across the water:

• Sign up for bridge closure notifications
• Check the bridge status page
• Download the WSDOT app
• Follow us on X/Twitter or Bluesky