Hood Canal Bridge commuters should prepare for longer delays July 15 as the bridge will be reduced to single lane, one-way alternating traffic for repairs to a hydraulic component.

From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 15, state Department of Transportation bridge crews will close one lane across the bridge to create a work zone for a large crane, per a news release. The crane is needed to replace a 6,000-pound hydraulic cylinder on the west span of the bridge. Alternating one-way vehicle traffic will be in place while crews remove the existing hydraulic cylinder and install a new one.

“This work must be done during the day for safety and efficiency. High winds have the potential to cancel the work,” the release states.

During the closure, travelers are encouraged to: add extra travel time to help prevent delays, consider postponing discretionary trips, travel before or after scheduled work hours, and refrain from blocking driveways on Highways 3 and 104 in Kitsap and Jefferson counties.

The day after work is completed, travelers can expect several draw span closures to vehicle traffic. Each closure is scheduled to be 30 minutes or less and allows crews to flush the hydraulic system.

Why is this work needed?

The hydraulic cylinder, also called a ram, is a vertical piece of equipment used to lift and lower the driving surface of the bridge when it opens for boat traffic. During a recent inspection, crews discovered a hydraulic leak in one of the 12 rams on the west side of the bridge. Engineers determined it was caused by saltwater corrosion on the ram. Hydraulic leaks, left unaddressed, will cause the hydraulic lift to fail, risking damage to the bridge, per WSDOT.

Since the discovery of the leak, the bridge has been restricted to 300-foot openings for boat traffic. The bridge is designed to open to 600 feet, which is needed for some commercial and military marine openings, and also during storm season to relieve pressure on the bridge.

This is the first ram replacement on the west span since they were installed in 2009 as part of a bridge replacement and retrofit project. The 7,867-foot-long bridge is one of the longest floating bridges in the world, and the only one that spans across saltwater.

“The bridge requires constant maintenance due to the harsh marine environment. Long-established maritime laws require the Hood Canal Bridge and other movable bridges like it to open for marine traffic,” the release concludes.