Drivers have sinking feeling in Mukilteo

A big hole in the Mukilteo ferry dock that formed suddenly Wednesday morning slowed the commute for some ferry riders late this week.

A sink hole opened in the roadway on a portion of the Mukilteo dock after part of an asphalt seawall beneath it washed away.

The incident occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m., when a Ford Explorer’s front tire sank through the asphalt and into the hole, according to Washington State Ferries spokeswoman Susan Harris-Huether. The driver of the vehicle was not injured.

Harris-Huether said the yard-wide hole is 5 feet deep and is in the lane adjacent to Ivar’s Restaurant. Ferries have continued to load and unload vehicles at the dock single file.

“We hope to be back into two lane loading and unloading by tomorrow night,” Harris-Huether said Thursday.

Vehicle weight restrictions were put in place Wednesday after the hole was discovered. Vehicles over 10,000 pounds were directed away from the ferry and their drivers were told to head north to Deception Pass.

“Anything heavier has to go around,” Harris-Huether said.

American Construction is repairing the seawall and, depending on the tide schedule, the sink hole will be repaired with a combination of cement and steel plates.

In February and March of 2003, Washington State Ferries did some repair work at the 50-year-old dock, replacing tower piles. The work closed the dock for more than a week. The project replaced the existing towers with a new structure built around the old one.

There is other storm and water damage yet to be repaired near the ferry dock. Ivar’s has remained closed since October, when a strong storm blew out windows and buckled flooring in the restaurant dining room.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.