Northbound and southbound SR 9 traffic will alternate from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily Mondays through Thursdays through Thursday, July 24, south of Mount Vernon Big Lake Road (milepost 49) for fish passage construction.
Project overview
Beginning June 29, the Washington State Department and contractor Interwest Construction Inc. (ICI) of Burlington will begin construction on a project that will remove barriers to fish migration at two locations along State Route 9 in Skagit County. The project will install new fish passable structures along an unnamed tributary to Nookachamps Creek (milepost 49) east of Mount Vernon and an unnamed tributary to Hansen Creek north of Sedro Woolley (milepost 59). Construction will occur concurrently at both locations, and the project is expected to reach substantial completion in mid-October.
Together, these new fish-passable structures will restore access to approximately 2 miles of natural stream habitat for bull trout, coho, resident trout, sea-run cutthroat and steelhead. They also will improve the resiliency of SR 9 in these areas.
What to expect
Construction at the two locations will occur simultaneously.
The unnamed tributary to Nookachamps Creek is located along SR 9 just south of Mount Vernon Big Lake Road (milepost 49) east of Mount Vernon. Primary work to remove the fish barrier and install a new structure will require a seven-day, continuous closure of northbound and southbound SR 9, tentatively scheduled to begin in early August. Traffic will use SR 534, Interstate 5 and SR 538/College Way in both directions to detour around the closure. People should add extra time and expect delays.
The unnamed tributary to Hansen Creek is located along SR 9 (milepost 59) just north of Kalloch Road (milepost 59) north of Sedro-Woolley. Primary work to remove the fish barrier and install the new structure will be done during up to 42 continuous days of alternating traffic on a bypass road along SR 9, tentatively scheduled to begin in early July. A temporary traffic signal will be used to alternate traffic. People should expect delays.
Additional daytime (7 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Aug. 21 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. after Aug. 21) and nighttime (9 p.m. to 5 a.m.) alternating traffic should be expected during construction at both sites.
WSDOT will remove two barriers to fish migration at two locations along SR 9 in Skagit County.
Replacing the outdated culverts with new structures will open approximately 2 miles of upstream habitat for salmon and other fish species to spawn and grow in the two tributaries. The new designs will include natural elements, such as logs and boulders, to stabilize the channel, create habitat features and restore the natural flow of the stream that was disrupted when the original culverts were installed under SR 9.
The new structures and natural features will make it easier for fish to move through the tributaries by slowing the water and creating a more natural creek environment. To protect and restore salmon runs, WSDOT has corrected fish barriers found along state highways since 1991. Since 2013, this work has accelerated due to a permanent federal injunction which applies to state roads in most of western Washington.
Fish passage design carefully considers today’s climate as well as future climate change risks. Completed projects are built to handle increased stream flow and flooding – meaning roads are less likely to flood or close during storms. The nature-based designs used in these projects help ensure they withstand current and future climate hazards. They also are built to today’s modern earthquake safety standards.
These new structures are built to last at least 75 years – helping reduce road closures during floods and providing more reliable transportation routes for the communities we serve. Ultimately, these projects benefit fish and people.
