Project overview
This project removed a fish passage barrier along Lyon Creek where it passed beneath State Route 104 just west of 35th Avenue Northeast in Lake Forest Park. Contractor crews working for WSDOT replaced a 6-by-4-foot box culvert with a 24-foot-wide bridge structure, opening more than 7.5 miles of potential upstream habitat for Chinook, coho, steelhead, sockeye, sea-run cutthroat and resident trout.
This project also will update sewer/utility lines around the new culvert and improve habitat within Lyon Creek where it passes beneath the state highway.
What to expect
Major construction on the new culvert structure along SR 104/Ballinger Way Northeast is complete.
Remaining work in this area includes landscaping, sewer upgrades on Northeast 185th Street and 35th Avenue Northeast, and final paving.
Final sewer work is tentatively scheduled to begin in late winter 2026 and last approximately two to three months. Crews will perform final paving and lane striping on SR 104/Ballinger Way, Northeast 185th Street and 35th Avenue Northeast later this spring when warm, dry weather returns.
Sewer work will require nightly lane closures on SR 104, Northeast 185th Street and 35th Avenue Northeast. This work will be noisy at times, although crews will use sound absorbing panels to reduce disruption to neighbors. Crews are still finalizing a plan to complete sewer work on NE 185th Street and 35th Avenue Northeast and a precise schedule/timeline is not yet available.
This project will improve fish passage under SR 104 west of 35th Avenue Northeast in Lake Forest Park.
This work is part of our fish passage program. Replacing the existing culverts and rebuilding the stream channels expands healthy fish habitat; an important step in restoring fish runs and increasing populations. This benefits commercial seafood operations and recreational fishers and provides more food for a declining orca population. Additionally, replacing these fish barriers helps us meet our obligation to remove barriers under the 2013 U.S. District Court injunction.
