HOOD CANAL BRIDGE — Delayed slightly because of strong winds and rain on Thursday, the Hood Canal Bridge pontoons will still float out of the Tacoma dock about two months ahead of schedule.

The budget, however, is still overflowing after the project was relocated from Port Angeles to Tacoma in August 2003.

The cost of the bridge replacement is about 40 percent above its original budget, rising from $292 million to $471 million after the move. Washington State Department of Transportation, however, received the OK for the increase from the 2005 state Legislature. Since then, the project has been flowing along and many parts of it have been pushed forward to meet the bridge closure deadline in early summer 2009.

“We always work toward early,” said Hood Canal Bridge Communications Manager Becky Hixson. “We always hope it will go faster, it’s like getting your chores done so you can play. We want to get this project done on time, and we’re feeling positive about that now.”

The first three pontoons were floated from about 10 p.m. Dec. 5 to about 6 a.m. Dec. 6, and are now being towed to Seattle, said Kiewit-General Pontoon Manager Phil Wallace. The process involved moving the two P pontoons — 312 feet by 40 feet — and the Q pontoon — 90 feet by 154 feet — into a pit that could be flooded with enough water to cause them to float. Each pontoon weighs more than 6,000 tons, so it took a significant amount of water to get them to “pop,” Wallace said. Once the tide was high enough, the pontoons were moved through the gate and the pit was drained in preparation for the next five pontoons that will begin construction at the end of summer 2007, Hixson said.

“What we’ve done is we’ve built a very strong team,” said WSDOT construction manager Scott Ireland. “It’s really helped facilitate the project getting ahead. Getting things right the first time, focusing on safety, quality, schedule and budget is when we start experiencing benefits like being almost two months ahead.”

There are existing pontoons stored in Port Gamble Bay that will be joining the other three in early January 2007, Hixson said. An additional 10 anchors are being constructed in February 2007 as well. All of these activities have been moved up in the schedule, Hixon added.

“We’re getting ready for the next cycle of pontoons now,” Wallace said. “There are parts of the pit that need to be checked and fixed before we float out the next batch.”

The worn-out eastern half of the Hood Canal Bridge is set to be completely replaced after more than 40 years of service, and the western half is being repaired and widened. It was replaced in February 1979 after a storm rocked the bridge with 80 mph winds an 120 mph gusts.

A ferry is slated to run between Kitsap and Jefferson counties when the bridge is closed.