By Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – As promised by the Washington State Department of Transportation, work on the new Elwha River Bridge just west of Port Angeles is under way.
Crews began work on Monday to replace the existing 97-year-old span along Highway 101 with wider lanes and two 8-foot shoulders to accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians. Travelers will also find the transition from Olympic Hot Springs Road has a gentler curve approaching the bridge.
The new bridge will be built near the existing bridge, which will stay open during construction, except for an anticipated 9-day closure near the end of the process. The $36 million project is expected to take nearly 2 years to complete.
Since the removal of the two dams upriver from the bridge in 2012 and 2014, the Elwha River has dramatically changed its course and flow, leading to significant erosion around the bridge foundations.
As recently as November 2021, the existing span had to be temporarily closed while the bridge was inspected. Once the new bridge construction is complete, crews will demolish the older span.