Fourth Quarter Edition, December 2006

BRIDGESPANS is a newsletter of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Project in Gig Harbor, Washington. The suspension bridge project began four years ago. To keep the community along State Route 16 up to date on

the $849 million project - construction of a parallel bridge, 3.4 miles of road improvements, and upgrades to the 1950 bridge – the state Department of Transportation compiles this quarterly summary. While the parallel bridge opens in summer 2007, renovations to the 1950s bridge continue in 2008. By early 2008 all project work will be completed: the new bridge will carry eastbound traffic; the ‘50s bridge will take drivers west to the peninsula.

Progress report on deck assembly

Five months after deck assembly began 37 of the 46 deck sections have been lifted and placed in the center and side spans of the bridge. During November, two-thirds of the deck sections had been hung in place; the cable geometry at this point was close enough to its final profile, allowing workers to begin permanently bolting and welding. Two deck sections must be perfectly aligned, before workers install roughly 2,600 bolts to each joint. A two-part welding process follows.

After Thanksgiving, the Swan returned from South Korea with its cargo of 15 deck sections. Lifting began again in early December. In the final days of the year, decks No.12, 40, 39 and 36 will be lifted into place. Crews plan to trapeze No. 12 between the legs of the Gig Harbor tower this week and No. 39 will be placed in the Tacoma side span. In addition, section No. 36, the piece to be placed between the Tacoma tower legs, will be lifted off the Swan and transferred to the barge. No. 36 will be trapezed into place the week of Jan. 1. Deck-lifting activities will continue through the mid-January. In all, 46 deck sections make up the 5,400 foot long deck. Each deck section on average weighs 440 tons and measures 120-feet long, 78-feet wide and 26-feet deep.

Boaters: pay attention to marine restrictions in Narrows

During the assembly of the new bridge’s deck, marine restrictions will be in place around the ship and barge in the Narrows, and underneath the bridge gantry cranes used to lift the deck sections. Between now and the end of January, boaters will need to pay particular attention to marine restrictions, including a:

1) no-boating zone in the west side span between the Gig Harbor tower and Gig Harbor shore;

2) 500-foot, no-boating radius around a barge that will move to different locations under the bridge to deliver deck sections; and

3) clear zone under any gantry crane used in deck-lifting operations.

Good To Go! ... a faster, safer commute across the bridge

Come summer 2007, the key to a faster commute across the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge will be Good To Go! — an easy-to-use electronic toll collection system. An electronic pass will give drivers the power to pay tolls without ever stopping. Customers who pay tolls electronically will maintain highway speeds on eastbound SR 16, bypassing the toll

booth area and staying in the toll express lanes. Your toll will be deducted automatically from your prepaid Good To Go! account. An overhead antenna reads the Good To Go! e-sticker adhered to your windshield and automatically deducts the toll from your account. This e-sticker, initially distributed at no cost, will be available in early 2007 when customers will be able to open accounts.

The minimum prepaid account balance is $30, but frequent commuters are encouraged to prepay a month’s worth of tolls into the account. Accounts don’t expire, so even if you use the bridge infrequently, you’ll want to set up a Good To Go! account so that you never have to stop at the manual toll booths. Once your e-sticker is in place and your account is activated, you are ready to use Good To Go!Visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/goodtogo to view a video on how the system works; to read more about the process; and to add your name to our Good To Go! interest list. You’ll be among the first notified when customer service centers open and you’re able to establish your account.

Tolls citizen advisory committee meets in January

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday, Jan. 6 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Gig Harbor Civic Center at 3510 Grandview Street. This nine-member group is crafting toll rate recommendations for the new bridge that will be presented to the Washington Transportation Commission. The Commission is expected to set toll rates early next year and tolls are scheduled to begin with the opening of the new bridge in summer 2007.

The Committee is evaluating various toll rate scenarios, including possible discounts for Good to Go! customers who will use electronic tolling. All meetings of the Citizen Advisory Committee are open to the public and time will be allotted at the meetings for audience comments related to toll rates and possible discounts. Individuals who would like to submit comments or questions in writing to the Citizen Advisory Committee may do so online at www.tacomanarrowsbridge.com or by mail to TNB-CAC, 3214 50^th Street Court NW, Building D-302, Gig Harbor, 98335-8583. For more information on the Good To Go! program, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/goodtogo.

For more information contact:

Washington State Department of Transportation

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Project

3214 50^th Street Court NW, Suite D302

Gig Harbor, WA 98335

Phone: (253) 534-4640 or (877) 762-7769