The $205 million Hood Canal Bridge renovation project will be described in detail for the first time at public meetings Wednesday and Thursday in Sequim and Chimacum.

State Department of Transportation officials will show plans and drawings for the project, which will replace the east half and widen the west half of the 41-year-old bridge.

The 3½-year construction project, slated to start in early 2003, will result in a renovated bridge with 8-foot shoulders and a pedestrian/bicycle lane.

The bridge will remain open during most construction phases, but there will be an 8-week closure in 2006 to install the new east half floating structure.

The meetings this week:

* Sequim: Wednesday, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Guy Cole Convention Center in Carrie Blake Park, 202 N. Blake Ave. DOT bridge engineer Patrick Clarke will give a presentation at 6:15 p.m.

* Chimacum: Thursday, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Chimacum School District multipurpose room, 91 W. Valley Road. Bridge engineer Clarke’s presentation is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.

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The rest of this story appears in Tuesday’s Peninsula Daily News. Click on “Subscribe” to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.