Travelers gearing up for their regular commutes through northern Snohomish County need to brace for some disruptions starting next week, as construction kicks off to make way for fish passage enhancements beneath Interstate 5 and Old Highway 99 at Secret Creek. Come Monday, construction crews will set up shop around mileposts 210 (236th Street Northeast) and 212 (State Route 532/Stanwood-Bryant Road), according to a release by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
The project's main thrust is to swap out existing culverts that currently restrict aquatic movement with fish-and-wildlife-friendly structures, with the construction stretching into December 2025 travelers should expect to navigate temporary bypasses in a two-lane setup for both directions of I-5, throughout the construction period, it's an effort to mitigate travel impacts and keep the flow of people and commerce as steady as possible. Initial nighttime work will be weather-dependent, set to occur from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Monday to Friday on the week of this Monday, potentially spilling into the week of March 10, drivers can look out for lane closures and concrete barriers indicating the start of the zone establishment process.
Once the temporary bypasses are complete, which is projected to be an eight-week timeframe, a reduction in the speed limit to 60 mph will be enforced, WSDOT advises commuters to allow for extra travel time, particularly during peak hours. The anticipated daytime work is scheduled to start on March 10, running on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., this info comes straight from the source, ensuring the flow of goods and travelers faces minimal disruption while giving way to ecological restoration.
Speaking of restoration, the Secret Creek fish passage project isn't just about traffic flow; it's about ecological flow too—modernizing crossing structures under the bustling highways to reopen over 5 miles of habitat living spaces for local fish species like chum and coho salmon, not to mention resident trout, steelhead, and sea run cutthroat – other species of wildlife and aquatic life are also set to benefit from the $57.5 million enterprise is a piece of the puzzle in WSDOT's larger push to enhance fish passage capabilities and reconnect waterways following nearly three decades of environmental effort, punctuated by a federal injunction in 2013 demanding an accelerated pace.
The building of larger and more resilient crossings is designed to adapt to changing conditions and serve as long-term improvements for both fish and wildlife populations, as the Washington State Department of Transportation release states, marking a significant stride in the department's ongoing mission to revitalize Washington's aquatic ecosystems.
