SR 9 Lake Creek bridge construction project open house is Jan. 22

The Washington State Department of Transportation asks that you come to their open house to learn about the State Route 9,  Lake Creek Fish Passage project The open house is  from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, at Big Lake Elementary, 16802 Lakeview Blvd., Mount Vernon. The project is located on SR 9 between Big Lake and Lake McMurray.

 

This summer, WSDOT will close SR 9 for up to eight weeks at the southernmost Lake Creek crossing so contractor crews can build a bridge to replace the culvert that currently carries the creek under the highway. The crews will remove the culvert and rebuild the creek bed. The work will take place about 2.4 miles north of the SR 9/SR 534 intersection in July and August. Local access will be maintained, but the highway will be closed near the work site.

 

The project is necessary due to a 2013 U.S. District Court ruling requiring the state to significantly increase efforts to remove state-owned culverts that block habitat for salmon and steelhead by 2030. The Lake Creek crossing is one of more than 1,000 that are part of the ruling. The work needs to be completed during the summer to coincide with good weather for paving, low stream flow and migratory patterns of fish.

 

SR 9 crosses Lake Creek three times. The two northern crossings already have bridges and are not affected.

 

Source: The Washington State Department of Transportation Website