Project news

• This project has been postponed. It is now scheduled to advertise for competitive bid in October 2020.
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Needs & benefits

Penny Creek passes under SR 527 just south of 164th Street Southeast in Mill Creek through an 8-foot wide culvert, which increases the speed of the water and makes it difficult for migratory and resident fish to travel upstream. To improve habitat for salmon and other fish, WSDOT will replace the culvert with a 26-foot structure that will allow for a more natural streambed that makes it easier for fish to go upstream.

Traffic effects

Replacing the culvert will require many overnight lane reductions, in addition to a pair of weekend-long lane closures during summer 2021. The weekend closures will be announced at a later date.

About 36,000 vehicles use this section of SR 527 each day. During the weekend-long closures, northbound traffic will detour via SR 524, North Road and 164th Street SE. Southbound traffic will detour via Mill Creek Road/Seattle Hill Road, 35th Avenue SE and 180th Street SE. Each detour adds about three miles to a trip.

Timeline

• October 2020 - Project scheduled to be advertised for competitive bidding.
• Fall 2020 - Project is scheduled to be awarded.
• Spring 2021 - Construction is scheduled to begin.
• Fall 2021 - Construction is scheduled to be complete.

Funding

The total estimated project cost is $8 million, using state funding.