Project news

• This project is scheduled to advertise for competitive bid in fall 2020. Construction is scheduled to begin in winter 2021.
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Needs & benefits

Pussyfoot Creek passes through an 11-foot diameter culvert under SR 164 about a half-mile east of the White River Amphitheater on the Muckleshoot Reservation east of Auburn. The culvert is too small and sections inside the existing culvert create conditions that make it very difficult or impossible for fish to travel upstream.

To improve fish passage in Pussyfoot Creek, WSDOT will remove the old culvert and replace it with a 170-foot-long bridge. The work will open about 9.3 miles of additional upstream habitat for resident and migratory fish, including Coho salmon, steelhead and coastal cutthroat trout. The additional habitat will help increase the number of salmon that are hatched in the creek, which feeds into the White River and Puget Sound. In turn, that will help the Puget Sound ecosystem, providing more food for orcas.

People who drive in this area should plan for delays, closures and detours beginning in winter 2021.

Timeline

• August 2020: Complete design and advertise project for competitive bidding.
• Fall 2020: Award contract.
• Winter 2021: Construction begins.
• Fall 2021: Construction is scheduled to be complete.

Funding

The total project cost for this work is estimated at $9.9 million, funded by Connecting Washington.