UPDATE | JULY 23rd, 4PM
WSDOT now says SR 203 between Carnation and Duvall will only be closed for one month starting Sunday, July 26th. [See below original article for project details.]
There is also another road closure that will impact the same area immediately following the completion of the month-long SR 203 culvert road project.
According to King County Roads Services, once the Loutsis Creek culvert construction is complete, WSDOT will reopen SR 203 and King County Road Services will close West Snoqualmie Valley Road NE – between NE 124th Street and NE Woodinville Duvall Road – from approximately August 27th – September 17th for a separate culvert replacement project.
The county said local access will be maintained, but all other travelers should plan to use an alternate route, such as SR 203, to drive around the closure. WSDOT and King County are coordinating closely to ensure the two culvert replacement project closures will not overlap.
For both WSDOT and King County projects: NE Novelty Hill Road and NE 124th Street will remain open during construction, and West Snoqualmie Valley Road NE will be open in both directions south of NE 124th Street.
ORIGINAL STORY
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced starting Sunday, July 26, SR 203 will close between Carnation and Duvall for one month. Drivers should expected added travel times through the area. [At original publish date WSDOT estimated the closure would be nearly 6-weeks, but that has since been scaled back.]
WSDOT said it is coordinating with King County to ensure drivers can use West Snoqualmie Valley Road as a detour during the extended, 38-day closure.
SR 203 is currently scheduled to reopen September 1st.
During the closure contractor crews will replace a culvert that carries Loutsis Creek under the highway to improve passage for native and migratory fish.
Loutsis Creek currently goes through a 5-foot culvert under SR 203 just south of Duvall. WSDOT explained at times it is difficult for fish to navigate the culvert because water levels get too low or move too fast.
The long closure is necessary because crews will first need to dig out the culvert located 40 feet below the roadway, then build a new, larger structure – and finally put the roadway back on top.
WSDOT said the environmental improvement project will enhance fish runs and open an additional 3.1 miles of habitat for fish and other aquatic creatures.
The project is required to comply with the 2013 federal court injunction mandating the state “to significantly increase the effort for removing state-owned culverts that block habitat for salmon and steelhead by 2030.”
The estimated project cost is $8.2 million and is funded by state and federal dollars.
Comments
I got excited when I saw this headline because I thought they were going to fix the landslide by Stillwater Hill, but no another box culvert project. If we care about the fish and water quality so much why does King County allow short plats in Duvall? Money of course : ) Maybe WSDOT and/or King County should use our taxpayer money to improve roads/mobility in the area. But I guess grant money isn’t for the people, just the fish.
Little fish can’t get through a 5′ culvert? Dredge the gravel out of them and keep the water flowing. My husband as a teen worked in Cherry Valley where the creek goes. Fish got through the pumps used to pump they water to the N. side of the valley.
A six week closure for fish at a cost of 8.2M? What a waste of taxpayer money, WSDOT resources and substantial inconvenience for both Duvall and Carnation residence. Do you know that Novelty Hill is already closed and that 203 at Stillwater needs repair due to it sinking.
Totally irresponsible use of funds and resources without a care for how these closures affect people who are already dealing with detours.
Yup! Kinda ridiculous that after they close the road for a day to look at what they need to do to repair the sinking road and then they go and fix something for the fish! I would like them to fix the 1 lane road that is getting worse day by day!
I have to agree!
It’s madness. Complete waste of taxpayers’ money to inconvenience locals for 6 weeks to rip up good road when 203 is slipping away further south. Let’s help the fish first and not ourselves!
To the “master minds” of this project. How could you waste so much of our money? Do you not know that there are MANY people AND businesses in the valley that could use some of that 8.2 million dollars to just survive? How about feeding the kids of the Snoqualmie valley that are going hungry. This is such a misappropriation of funds. How dare you!
Kids going hungry? Awww, cry me a river. Don’t much care about hungry kids or about the residents that could use a little extra money. Actually don’t give a sh** about people in general. How about the sentient beings that are horrifically abused and tortured daily just to satisfy the palates of the general population. Educate yourself about where your little cellophane packages of “meat” come from, and that it’s actually dead animal tissue.
So you’re telling me we’re down to 1 lane due to mud slides, still waiting to be fixed, but this culvert for FISH takes priority and closes down a lifeline road for 6 weeks.
Got it! Yep this is a joke alright! One on the tax payer. This is exactly what I had in mind for my share of the dollars to go to.
I checked the DOT website to make sure the culvert project wasn’t being done as a part of the road project, but it’s not. However, while doing the culvert project they will do all the utility locating for the road repair, date TBD. Looking at the condition of the roads statewide I’m seeing a rapid decline in preventative maintenance that used to be done annually like mowing the medians, keeping weeds from growing through retaining walls, repairing cracks etc. and everybody has noticed the poor condition of the roads in general such as the eastbound I-90 onramp from Front St which is in terrible disrepair. I personally didn’t vote for the reduction in car tabs because I think our roads need to be maintained, but either the governor is taking the vote personally and ordering a reduction in maintenance spending, is sending everything to Sound Transit or the WSDOT crews are just not doing the job. Very Alarming considering we currently have the forth highest gas tax in the nation AND they Governor didn’t apply the reduced car tabs passed by the voters.
King county put one of these fish friendly culverts on a road to my house just north of Carnation. Before the fish culvert there were lots of fish spawning but after the culvert there are none. Is it the culvert or something with fish, I don’t know but there’s no point in having this culvert when there are no fish.
Read the injunction. It explains why this amount of money is earmarked for this project.
And, if you don’t like it, MOVE!!! No one is forcing you to be here. I’ve been in the valley 48 years and I don’t like all of you here, anyway.
No.1 weather it was earmarked is besides the point,it’s still a waste of taxpayers $.No.2 most can’t just leave because of work so make an intelligent argument smart ###.
Suck it up and quit whining. If you don’t like it, MOVE. No one is forcing you to live here. Read the injunction, this money has been earmarked for this project for years. I’ve been here 48 years and I am tired of listening, and dealing with, people and traffic out here.
I admire your passion Kelvin. However, I don’t think ranting about cellophane on this post is necessary. I grew up here too and don’t mind all the new people. A little education goes a long way when dealing with people that have different view points than you. : )
Thanks for your input, Seth. I’m glad you don’t mind all the new people, some like you enjoy the population growth. I moved out here in 1972 specifically to get away from everything, but everything followed. Lived at the same isolated home/acreage for 31 years until all the trees started coming down and houses started to go up. Moved seven miles south, and now I’m on acreage that includes wetland so no one will be able to destroy the landscape here. I thoroughly enjoy isolation and not having neighbors..