Some remaining Manette Bridge questions

The in basket: Larry Avery, Jeff David and Robert Balcomb have posed the latest questions to the Road Warrior column about the new Manette Bridge in Bremerton.

Larry said on Dec. 29, “(I) was at the Boat Shed this afternoon and it doesn’t seem like anything has happened there in some time.
“Sure, they have been working on the demo of our old bridge, but has the state let the contractor slide on getting the final work done on the new bridge?
“Is this thing on schedule?”
Jeff, a former Bremerton police traffic officer, asks,”When is someone going to admit that they should have had a right turn off the bridge like before to move many vehicles onto Shore Drive and East 11th, rather they enduring two stop signs on Pitt and East 11th.  It’s nice to have a park, but at what expense?”

Robert writes, “There was a plan circulated around town concerned with turning the old Manette Bridge into a People’s Bridge, such as for abandoned traffic and railroad bridges in America and Europe.

“I photographed the bridge from the Boatshed Restaurant, and wife Mary Balcomb painted it to show what could have been a public walkway and gathering place. The picture circulated widely, gathering many signatures in favor.  Also we spoke with several engineers who agreed that the understructures can be up-kept just like has been done for other bridges.”

The out basket: Jeff Cook, the state’s project engineer on the bridge replacement, said on Dec. 30, “The demolition of the old Manette Bridge has been the most noticeable operation over the last six weeks, however a great deal more has been ongoing as well, some which cannot be seen from the south side.

“The overhang brackets that supported the barrier and deck construction of the north side of the bridge are completing the removal process.

“The massive beams which supported the  construction of the first span on west side took several weeks to unfasten and remove.

‘”Grading operations for the east and west banks were completed and the expanded viewscape construction is nearly complete with only planting remaining.

“At any given time there have been three to five separate operations occurring beyond the … demolition.

“So the next question will likely be: What’s left?

– “The contractor will complete the demolition of the two remaining concrete piers; both on the east side in the beach area.  This is tidally dependent, will be at night, and likely complete by the middle of January.

– “The contractor has been awaiting the final shipments of green railing to be installed on the south side of the bridge. A fabrication issue delayed the delivery, but the remaining materials are scheduled to be on site then in place by the end of January. Once installed, the sidewalk will be open to the full 10-foot width.” Gaps in the north side rail also have awaited the overdue pieces, he said.

– “Planting for the viewscape and the center of the roundabout will complete approximately the middle of January.

-“The last work under this contract will be the application of pigmented sealer to the girder faces and end piers. (The public will generally see this as ‘painting’).

“(It) must occur when the temperature is consistently above 50 degrees and not raining.

“What will likely happen is all the work above will complete, the contractor will leave the site, then return in April to complete the pigmented sealing of the bridge. This work will take approximately three weeks and will be conducted from barges.

“So, yes we are on schedule.  The contractor has been working on several operations, both day and night, to complete the work.”

Answers to Jeff David’s and Robert’s questions are found in the “frequently asked questions” segment of the state’s Manette Bridge Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR303/ManetteBridgeReplacement/FAQ.htm.

A roundabout connection to Shore Drive would have been too steep, so wasn’t built, it says.

Due to the deteriorated condition of the old bridge, it would present a real risk to the new bridge during a major earthquake, if left in place, it also said.