Wet weather briefly delays Head of the Bay work
Published 1:30 am Thursday, March 26, 2026
Due to wet weather, the City of Bainbridge Island had to temporarily delay planned Eagle Harbor Drive paving work, which was originally expected to be completed by March 20.
“Paving was originally scheduled for (March 19), but had to be postponed the day before due to wet weather conditions. We are constantly monitoring the forecast, but as anyone in the Northwest knows, conditions can shift quickly from day to day. Unfortunately, we did not get a break in the weather last week that would allow us to pave,” city communications coordinator Shannon Hays said.
The city intends to lift the current 24-hour one-way traffic configuration by the end of the day March 27, and it will stay one lane during work hours, Hays said.
“The paving work taking place this week is limited to what is needed to reopen the road to two-way traffic outside of work hours. Once this phase is complete, additional work will continue through early May, including concrete installation, retaining wall construction, and further paving,” Hays said. “We anticipate a brief pause in work during May and early June while we wait for consistently dry and warm weather conditions needed for final roadway sealing and striping.” The city is hoping to complete major construction on the corridor by late spring, per the city’s website.
Interim city manager Ellen Schroer provided the following statement: “We’re proud to deliver multiple critical upgrades at Head of the Bay. While we experienced an extended closure early on, this project reflects what’s possible when we take a comprehensive approach to infrastructure. We restored salmon access through the fish passage, strengthened long-term water system reliability, and redesigned a challenging stretch of roadway to be safer for everyone,” she said. “For years, there were few safe options for people walking, biking, or rolling through this area. Today, we’re already seeing the raised bike lanes in use, which speaks to both the need for and the impact of these improvements.”
