SHINE – Workers replacing the eastern half of Hood Canal Bridge are scheduled this week to place near the bridge the first of 10 anchors, each weighing about 1,000 tons.
That’s the weight of 167 male African elephants, according to the state Department of Transportation.
“We going to start the actual process of putting those in place,” said Greg Meadows, Hood Canal Bridge project site manager.
The first anchor will be placed sometime Tuesday, with workers setting up operations Monday.
The bridge will be closed for six weeks in May and June of 2009 for replacement of the aging, crumbling eastern half, with a western-half retrofit to be scheduled for completion in 2010.
The western half was replaced after a 1979 windstorm sank it.