Ramp set to close for up to a year for fish passage project
BREMERTON – Travelers can expect long-term changes at the Chico Way interchange near Bremerton to start this summer. The Washington State Department of Transportation will close the Chico Way on-ramp to southbound State Route 3 as soon as 9 a.m. Monday, July 11. The around-the-clock closure will continue into spring 2023. Signed detour routes will be provided.
"We know this will be an inconvenience for travelers," said WSDOT Project Engineer Amy Amos. "We appreciate everyone's understanding and patience as we remove barriers to fish during this major project."
Why close the ramp?
Opening fish habitat is no small task. Instead of digging through all lanes of SR 3, crews will build two new bridges. Chico Creek and a tributary to Chico Creek will later be rerouted under the new spans.
Crews need to realign the on-ramp to create more space for the new bridge on Chico Way Northwest and the tributary that will flow under the bridge. WSDOT expects to open the new ramp to travelers in spring 2023.
The project is part of WSDOT's ongoing efforts to remove barriers to fish. The $57.6 million project is expected to be complete winter 2023.
Real-time traffic information is available on the WSDOT statewide travel map, the WSDOT app and WSDOT regional Twitter account.