Removing fish barriers can deliver impressive benefits, improving fish access for miles up and downstream.
The SR 161 Unnamed Tributaries to Hylebos Creek fish passage replacement project near Federal Way continues to build on our commitment to removing fish barriers on streams that run under state highways. Replacing the outdated culverts with either bridges or fish-passable structures increases the likelihood of fish migration through Hylebos Creek and its tributaries.
There are three culverts that run under SR 161/Enchanted Parkway South, to the south and east of Wild Waves Theme Park. These culverts carry unnamed tributaries under the highway to feed Hylebos Creek. These three culverts range from 18 to 24 inches in diameter. All of them are considered completely impassable to fish.
New fish passages
Replacing these culverts and rebuilding the streams will provide new habitat for the Coho, resident trout, steelhead, and searun cutthroat that use Hylebos Creek and nearby wetlands. Each culvert has a potential habitat gain ranging from 1,066 to more than 1,300 meters. These improvements and habitat gains will help restore fish runs and increase the population of these species.
This benefits commercial seafood operations, recreational fishers, and provides more food for our declining orca population. In addition, replacing these fish barriers helps us meet our obligation to remove barriers under the 2013 U.S. District Court injunction.
Design work began in 2021. Guy F. Atkinson Construction was identified as submitting the Apparent Best Value proposal in fall 2023. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2023 with completion in 2026.
This project is being combined into a single contract with two other fish passage projects on I-90, SR 202 and SR 203. Construction is scheduled to occur from 2023-2027. Because of the multiple locations, we cannot specify at this time when the work will occur on SR 161.
Milestone
Spring 2022
Project advertisement
October 2022
Guy F. Atkinson Construction identified as submitting the Apparent Best Value proposal
Spring 2025
Construction tentatively scheduled to begin
Winter 2027
Complete tentatively scheduled for completion
For efficiency and cost savings, this project has been combined with the SR 202 Skunk Creek and SR 203 Unnamed Tributaries to Snoqualmie River, and the I-90 Sunset Creek fish passage projects. The estimated project cost total for the SR 161 unnamed tributaries to Hylebos Creek location is $21.2 million. The estimated project cost total for the three locations combined is $135 million.
Learn more about 2013 U.S. District Court injunction for fish passage
Watch a recording of the May 11 online lunch and learn about this project and the WSDOT fish passage program.