PORT TOWNSEND — A 12-cylinder diesel engine once used as a backup power generator to open and close the Hood Canal Bridge draw span will find a new life in the event of an emergency at Fort Worden State Park.
Russ Hendricks, facilities manager at Fort Worden, accepted the generator for future emergency backup power at the park’s maintenance yard Wednesday afternoon.
The engine was picked up and delivered by Jay Ketchum, owner of Affordable Crane, based in Agnew, between Port Angeles and Sequim.
“We can shelter a lot of people with this generator,” said Hendricks, adding that Fort Worden is a designated refuge center in the event of an emergency or disaster.
The 500-kilowatt generator, considered construction waste by Hood Canal Bridge project contractor Kiewit General, was offered to Fort Worden in a recent e-mail from Bob McKenzie, program manager with the state Department of General Administration.
“It opened the west side of the bridge for the last 20 years or so,” said Dean Crawford, bridge maintenance and operations supervisor.
“It was what we used when the power went out.”
A $500 million project to replace the bridge’s east half began May 1, closing the floating structure, and is expected to be completed by June 12 or earlier.
Other parts recycled
Other parts of the Hood Canal Bridge’s east half are being reused as well.
The bridge’s old pontoons have already been towed by tugboats to Cowichan Bay on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, where a Victoria developer is refurbishing them for possible future marine uses, such as a marina or pier.
Crawford said the intent of moving the engine to Fort Worden State Park “is to serve the public in the event of any kind of disaster.”
Hendricks arranged for the 12,000-pound engine to be picked up Wednesday morning at the Salsbury Point County Park boat ramp, where a crane barge working on the bridge dropped the engine on the flatbed of Ketchum’s truck shortly after he arrived at 10 a.m.
Ketchum arrived at Fort Worden shortly before 4 p.m. after driving the engine around Hood Canal and up U.S. Highway 101, then north to Port Townsend. He was paid $1,000.
Hendricks said the 12-footlong generator would provide power, if needed, to several Fort Worden buildings, including dormitories and Fort Worden Commons, where food service is based.
A temporary hospital building also could be set up with power the engine generates, he said.
Hendricks estimated that the generator, if bought new today, would cost as much as $500,000.
“We figured if we could get it for free, the cost saved would pay for the installation,” he said.
“We hope to have it set up for this summer.”
________
Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
