The Hylebos Bridge was struck by a ship in October, and beginning Feb. 15 it will undergo a weeks-long repair project.
The drawbridge that carries traffic on East 11th Street over the Hylebos Waterway to the Tacoma Tideflats will be closed to vehicular traffic from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily while a safety system is repaired, the city said Thursday. Outside of those hours, the bridge will be fully operational.
The bridge was damaged when its western protective fender system was hit by a shipping vessel, the city said. The structure, which protects the bridge, was pushed 20 feet back from its original position.
A city contractor will install a new steel pile fender system.
Funding for the repair comes from a $1 million public works board emergency loan, $750,000 from reimbursable insurance and $758,000 from reimbursable city funding. City spokesperson Maria Lee said the city will seek reimbursement from the ship’s owner.
The work is expected to last for a minimum of two weeks.