The first 6 of 33 pontoons under construction in Aberdeen were floated out into Grays Harbor tonight. These include some of the first world-record-breaking-360-foot-long longitudinal pontoons that will form the backbone of the new floating bridge. Here’s a photo sequence, courtesy of WSDOT/OxBlue construction cams:

7:24 PM

7:55 PM

8:09 PM

8:23 PM

8:39 PM

8:54 PM

9:07 PM

9:52 PM

The first of 44 supplemental (“water wing”) pontoons were floated out of Tacoma last week.

UPDATE Monday 10pm: New information from the Aberdeen casting site via Seattle Times reporter Mike Lindblom’s Twitter feed:

• The @520_bridge pontoons will be inspected 2 days, then 4-8 days towing via ocean to Ballard Locks for first pair. #floatout
• A federal $320m loan for @520_bridge ”lake to land” is now in final negotiations and likely to happen, @wsdot secy Hammond tells me.
• Third @520_bridge pontoon floats out. WSDOT secy Hammond just left, after seeing it go w/ her initials carved in concrete.