PORT ANGELES — The Washington Transportation Commission won’t rescind Tuesday’s decision to pull the Hood Canal Bridge graving yard out of Port Angeles, its chairman said Wednesday.
Dale Stedman told Peninsula Daily News from his office in Spokane that he stood by the state Department of Transportation’s announcement that it is abandoning the project after nearly $59 million was spent.
Efforts by labor leaders, Clallam County politicians and business interests to reverse the decision won’t prevail, he said.
“We support the department without equivocation,” Stedman said. “Every commissioner has told me the same thing.
“Unless (critics of the decision) can change the governor’s viewpoint, unless they can change the congressional delegation’s viewpoint, unless they can change the governmental leadership’s viewpoint on this, the decision isn’t going to change.”
Onshore dry dock
The state had hoped to use the Port Angeles graving yard — a huge onshore dry dock — to build concrete anchors, pontoons, and decks for the east end of the aging bridge.
Completion had been set for 2006, but the project is at least a year behind schedule and has cost $58.8 million in Port Angeles alone.
Road widening and other work on the western half of the floating bridge continues in Jefferson County.
“It had become increasingly evident to the commission that we were heading toward closure on this thing,” Stedman said.
“The decision was made with the full recognition on the part of the commission that this was the only answer open to us.”
However, labor leaders say they’ll still hold a rally at 6 p.m. today at the Carpenters & Pile Drivers hall, 416 E. First St., Port Angeles.
And Port Angeles City Councilwoman Karen Rogers says the city intends to host a meeting with representatives of all concerned governments and the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe Dec. 29 at 1 p.m. in Port Angeles City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.