Overview

In October 2020, contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation finished replacing a narrow culvert carrying Hoag’s Creek under State Route 11/Chuckanut Drive near the junction with Old Samish Road in Bellingham. The new 12-foot round culvert gives fish and other aquatic species access to nearly another mile of habitat upstream for the first time in almost a century.

WSDOT has long recognized the importance of minimizing transportation’s effect on our environment. In 1991, WSDOT gained legislative support to create a program dedicated to correcting barriers that restrict or block salmon and trout access to historic spawning and rearing grounds.

Removing a single barrier can improve fish access for miles both upstream and downstream. When rivers and streams are connected, fish can better access the habitat they need. This is an important component of protecting and restoring fish populations, which can have multiple benefits - including for the commercial and recreational fishing industries and for orca food supplies in the Puget Sound.

Funding

This project cost $2.062 million.

Timeline

June 2020: Construction began.

October 2020: Project completed.