WASHINGTON — The Hood Canal Bridge on State Route 104 has re-opened to vehicles after an unexpected mechanical failure, but the issue has not yet been fixed.
The issue started Monday afternoon after a routine bridge opening for the Navy. When crews tried to shut the bridge to resume vehicle traffic, the western side of the bridge would not close.
A tugboat eventually pulled the bridge into place, allowing vehicle traffic to resume.
The western half of the bridge still will not open or close, so maritime traffic can only use half of the bridge to move through.
Officials said they are consulting with additional engineers and internal experts in hopes of identifying the problem and determining a solution.
“We’re troubleshooting the issue but can’t yet determine the cause,” WSDOT said in a statement.
Until that problem is identified, WSDOT officials cannot decide how repairs will go.
Divers were out Tuesday to continue investigating the issue.
The bridge, which spans Hood Canal and connects the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas, is a key transportation route for drivers heading to and from the northern Olympic Peninsula.
“Sat there for an hour or so,” said Jeanna Strout, who was caught in the backup before deciding to just pull off the road and reroute. “[Traffic] went far as you can see beyond the curve.”
According to WSDOT officials, 18,000 vehicles use the bridge every day.
“That is our primary entrance onto the peninsula,” said Christina Putman, who works at the Olympic Peninsula Gateway Visitors Information Center.
Putman wasn’t caught in the mess Monday, but has been caught off guard by a planned closure before.
“You either have to reschedule or plan a three-and-a-half-hour detour,” she said.
She hopes whatever repairs are required are a quick fix.
“Especially right now, coming up with our busy tourist season, it’s going to really impact us over here,” she said.
The bridge is scheduled to close again this week at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 8, but the closures are not related to the Monday incident and were prescheduled. Travelers can expect delays of up to an hour.
©2025 Cox Media Group
