Project overview
Reconnecting waterways where our roads act as barriers is a priority for the state. In western Washington, that means building hundreds of fish passable structures under state highways to create habitat essential for meeting fish recovery goals.
A culvert below State Route 509 west of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is a barrier to fish migration through Miller Creek, a tributary of the Puget Sound. Beginning in late 2024, contractor crews working for WSDOT will begin installing a new fish passible structure that connects Miller Creek under SR 509. This project will replace the culvert and rebuild the stream to reopen habitat and restore salmon populations.
What to expect
WSDOT will select a qualified design-build contractor to complete the design of the fish passable structures for Miller Creek under SR 509. Travelers should expect long-term closures of major north/south routes in Burien and SeaTac. Highway closure needs will be determined by the type of structures and the construction method proposed by the contractor. It is expected that SR 509 will need to close for at least 30 days during fish passage construction.
This project is combined into a single contract with other fish passage projects on SR 169. Work could begin as early as winter 2024. Although, the timing of culvert construction largely depends on the contractor, we anticipate construction on SR 509 could take up to two years.
Contractor crews will replace culverts below Des Moines Memorial Drive and State Route 509 with new fish passages.
