04/13/2012: "$3M Lopez Wingwall Work This Week"

(WSF graphic)

This week crews started on preliminary work for the upcoming wingwall refurbishment project at the Lopez Island terminal. The right wingwall (facing offshore) will be removed on Wednesday, April 18, and will be reinstalled prior to the left wingwall removal. Work is expected to be completed on the right wingwall in September.

WSF is improving safety at the Lopez ferry terminal by rehabilitating its existing timber floating wingwalls. Wingwalls are v-shaped structures used to guide slowing ferry boats safely into the landing docks.

John R. Callahan is the Project Engineer for WSF, and told The Island Guardian the original budget for the project was $7.4M, but after a value engineering analysis was conducted, "it was determined that the best course of action is to overhaul the existing structures, which costs much less than the $7.4 million programmed for the project."

The existing timber floating wingwalls are nearing the end of their usable lives. WSF states It is time to make the needed improvements to successfully guide ferries safely and smoothly into the landing dock.

Crews will rehabilitate the existing structure by refurbishing the timbers, fenders and chains. They will also complete repairing and repainting work on the existing pontoons. The project will bring the wingwall condition rating from a 45 up to an 80 out of 100, adding another 20 years to the wingwall’s useful life.

Crews will perform some much-needed rehabilitation work on the aging wingwalls, preserving the structure for many more years to come.

The rehabilitation will ensure that the wingwalls can perform their essential function of slowing, guiding and centering ferries as they come to a stop at the landing dock.