Divers guide concrete boat ramp panels into place on Clover Island

Divers Buddy Talbott, left, and Mark Allen of Allen Marine Services work together Friday fitting into place pre-cast concrete boat ramp panels for the boat launch on Clover Island in Kennewick.

A Lampson International crane lifted the 38 panels, each weighing close to 4 tons, for the two new 80-foot-long ramp lanes.

The work is the second part of a two-phase project to rebuild the Port of Kennewick's boat launch facility.

The first part included new landscaping, new bathrooms and paved parking. The second phase is installation of new concrete launch lanes.

A state grant of $238,000 helped pay for the first phase, according to officials at the Port of Kennewick.

The overall cost of the project is just over $1 million.

Working from land, from left, are: Bill Gwinn of Lampson International, Marshal Nelson and Kody McFarland, both of Big D’s Construction of Pasco.

The boat launch is expected to re-open by the end of March.

Watch a video at: www.tricityherald.com/video

This story was originally published January 22, 2016 at 4:59 PM with the headline "Divers guide concrete boat ramp panels into place on Clover Island."