Hood Canal Floating Bridge

 bridge  Add category

The Hood Canal Bridge is located on Washington State Route 104 and connects the Olympic Peninsula and the Kitsap Peninsula across the Hood Canal. It is 7,869 feet (2,398 m) long, making it the longest floating bridge in the world located in a saltwater tidal basin, and the third longest floating bridge overall. It was the second concrete floating bridge constructed in Washington State and first opened in 1961. Since that time, it has become a vital link for local residents, freight haulers, commuters, and recreational travelers. The convenience it provides has had a major impact on economic development, especially in eastern Jefferson County.

Pontoon bridges were designed for calm lakes. Hood Canal is not a man-made canal but a fjord -- an arm of the sea -- 55 miles long and subject to heavy currents, tides, and giant waves. The water level rises and falls as much as 18 feet. Even before the bridge opened on August 12, 1961, there were engineering worries and technical problems. Storms tended to damage the bolted joints that hitched the pontoons together.

In May 2009, the Hood Canal Bridge was closed to traffic for six weeks. WSDOT and the contractor, Kiewit-General (K-G) of Poulsbo, replaced the east-half floating sections and transition trusses on the east and west ends of the bridge. In September 2015, part of the bridge was stuck open, severly disrupting traffic.