The Port of Port Townsend commissioners unanimously approved a construction contract Wednesday for improvements to the Port Hudson breakwater jetty after learning federal grant money had been approved.

Capital Projects Director Matt Klontz told the commission the port had received a low bid from Orion Marine Contractors, Inc. of roughly $10.2 million, well below the engineer’s estimate of $14.3 million.

“It’s a fantastic price,” Klontz said. “This is great news for the port, for the community.”

The port had been awaiting final approval of funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, which is providing 50 percent of the overall costs, according to the meeting’s agenda materials, but Klontz said that approval was given Tuesday.

Port officials were confident the approval would come, Klontz said, and already instructed the contractor to order the steel pilings necessary to complete the projects.

The custom-made pilings require a long time to be delivered, agenda materials said. Ordering the pilings early was essential to getting the materials in time for construction to begin this fall.

Port Executive Director Eron Berg said the process would take place in two five-month stages over two years, each from Sept. 15 to March 1, during which time Port Hudson would essentially be closed. The SEA Marine boatyard will still have limited access to Port Hudson, but all other tenants of the marina would have to remove their vessels, Berg said.

“We won’t have any vessels there because we won’t be able to provide protection,” Berg said.

Port officials reached out to tenants, Berg said, and accommodations were being made at nearby port facilities including the Boat Haven Marina.

“We are maintaining availability so that vessels will have a place to go,” Berg said.

Berg said the contractors would begin their work in September immediately following the city’s Wooden Boat Festival both this year and again next year. The work is expected to be completed by February and the port reopened on March 1, he said.

The low bid allowed the project some financial breathing room, Klontz said, allowing the designers to add additional thickness to the walls.

“Having that additional wall thickness will allow them to stand the test of time,” Klontz said of the jetties.

Commissioner Pete Hanke said the project coming in below budget means port officials are “ahead of the game” in responding to potential added costs.

“It’s outstanding we came in at $10 (million) and change,” Hanke said. “It gives us so much latitude to add in some options if we need to.”

According to the meeting’s documents, anticipating the projected $14 million cost, the port was able to secure roughly $16.2 million in funding for the project, including about $7 million from the federal EDA grant and $3.5 million from the state.

Berg said that money covers additional costs to the project, including materials, planning and design.

“We’re comfortable where we’re at, but it’s too soon to think that money won’t be needed,” Berg said.

Construction was completed in 1936, Peninsula Daily News previously reported, and repairs were made to the breakwater in 1969 and again in 1996. Port officials had been looking into replacing the jetty as far back as 2015, according to the port’s project overview page, but bids for previous iterations of the project had come in too high. The already aging jetty was further damaged in 2018 windstorms.

“Now the fun part can begin,” Klontz said of the project.

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Reporter Peter Segall can be reached at psegall@soundpublishing.com.