Construction will mess with drives through Bainbridge Island for the next three weeks. The one and only bridge on or off the island will go down to a single lane of traffic.

The Agate Pass Bridge, which connects the north end of the island to the Kitsap Peninsula, is undergoing a thorough inspection and cleaning. It’s basically a complete teeth-cleaning for someone who hasn’t been to the dentist in years.

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“We need to have a good look at some key parts of the bridge because, like the infrastructure across the state of Washington, bridges are getting old, and they need care and feeding,” said Doug Adamson with the Washington State Department of Transportation. “We need to do an in-depth and thorough inspection.”

To get down to the metal on the bridge, workers will need to power spray away nearly 25-years of debris.

“We need to remove the accumulated debris, the accumulated gunk, the accumulated grime you would expect to find on something that’s been outside 24/7 for decades,” said Adamson.

Workers will also repair the bridge deck and roadway, as well as seal joints.

This is work that is really labor intensive and can’t be done efficiently at night which is why the lane closures are going to happen during the day. The bridge will be down to one lane alternating directions of traffic, seven days a week, through the end of the month.

Adamson said the state kept commuters in mind, so the closures will begin just before 9 a.m. and end at 3 p.m.

“We’ve minimized the time during the day so we’ll miss the majority of the morning commute and the afternoon commute, but still, someone’s commute is going to be impacted, and we recognize that,” he said.

Ferry riders could face delays coming in from Poulsbo, too, said Adamson. “That’s why we’re encouraging drivers to really plan ahead, set a strategy, give yourself some additional time to be able to get through this work zone so you don’t miss your ferry.”

The state is doing this work in the winter, instead of the summer because traffic volumes are lower than during warmer weather. It also skips Peregrine falcon nesting season. Falcons love to nest on this bridge – that’s why it is so dirty to begin with.