PORT ANGELES — The Lower Elwha Klallam tribe has completed reburying the remains of more than 300 ancestors unearthed during construction of the ill-fated Hood Canal Bridge graving yard nearly five years ago.

The state Department of Transportation had begun building the huge onshore dry dock to fashion floating-bridge components in August 2003, but was shut down at the request of the tribe 13 months later after the burials and around 10,000 artifacts from the 2,600-year-old ancient village of Tse-whit-zen were discovered.

Now, as their ancestors’ bones are returned to their waterfront burial ground on Port Angeles Harbor, perhaps healing can finally begin, tribal members said Monday.

The reburying was completed today.

“It’s really hard to express our emotions at this point in time. We are still in mourning,” Lower Elwha Tribal Chairwoman Frances Charles told The Seattle Times.

“But it is good to see some of the smiles come back to our community members knowing the heaviness is lifted off.”

Meanwhile, Transportation is completing the building of pontoons and heavy concrete anchors for the new eastern half of the Hood Canal Bridge at privately owned dry docks and yards in the Puget Sound area.

The agency plans to have the bridge closed to traffic for eight weeks next May and June for replacement of the 47-year-old eastern portion. An alternate ferry system is planned.

A complete report on the two-day reburial process and ceremony appears in Wednesday’s editions of the Peninsula Daily News.