PORT ANGELES — When the archaeological excavation of the graving yard began in April, no one involved thought the process would continue into November.

The excavation was through to take four months to complete.

But as September comes to a close and the second target date — Sept. 24 — passes, workers continue to find human remains and artifacts on the 22.5-acre site of the huge onshore dry dock for the Hood Canal Bridge replacement project.

“The village is a lot bigger than anyone ever anticipated, and we have found more than anyone thought we would,” said Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal Chairwoman Frances G. Charles.

“We continue to find ancestral remains and artifacts at the site, and continue to work as fast as we can to finish the excavation.”

The site, located along Marine Drive on the Port Angeles waterfront, is the former home of one of the largest documented Klallam villages, named Tse-whit-zen.

Scientific tests have shown the village to be at least 1,700 years old, and archaeologists working on the project say Tse-whit-zen is one of the largest villages uncovered in the Northwest.

Project on schedule

Despite the longer excavation process, state Department of Transportation officials say the eastern half of the floating bridge is on schedule for replacement in May 2007.

“There are so many things that we can juggle to keep this project on schedule,” said Transportation’s Olympic Region spokesman Lloyd D. Brown.

“There are so many innovative people working on this project who have developed ways for construction to happen while still respecting the archaeology.”