The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is warning drivers that sections of SR 202 near Fall City and Sammamish will close in late August and mid-September for culvert replacements.
WSDOT says the work will increase habitat for salmon and other marine life as part of the Evans and Patterson Creeks Fish Passage Project. These culverts are subject to the 2013 U.S. District Court injunction, requiring the state remove culverts that block fish passage under state roads.
Crews will replace four culverts that pass under SR 202 between Redmond and Fall City that pose a barrier for fish migration because water flows too fast, is too shallow, and /or drops too rapidly.
According to WSDOT, “When the culverts are removed and replaced with fish-friendly structures, miles of rearing and spawning habitat that became inaccessible when the roadway was built will be opened up again. Local stream restoration work, including more natural stream beds and planting of native shrubs and trees, will provide better habitat for the salmon and trout who use the streams, and will also be more inviting to other local wildlife.”
During the August 29-30 closure, a new 16-foot wide culvert installed at Patterson Creek will open up about 3.2 miles of additional habitat.
During the September 12-13 closure, the west tributary’s new 12-foot culvert will provide access to more than 2.5 miles of spawning grounds. The east tributary culvert will be 23 feet wide and open up nearly 5.5 miles of habitat.
SR 202 Closure Details:
- 9PM Friday, August 28th to 5AM Monday, August 31st: SR 202 at Patterson Creek between 244th Ave NE and Ames Lake Road near Sammamish. Local traffic will detour via Northeast Ames Lake Road, Northeast Union Hill Road and 236th Avenue Northeast, adding about 4.5 miles to the trip.
- 9PM Friday, September 11th, to 5AM Monday, September 14th: SR 202 east of Patterson Creek Farm between 308th Ave SE and SE 40th Street near Fall City. Local traffic will detour via West River Road, 24th Avenue Southeast, 309th Ave SE and 31st Street SE, adding about a mile to the trip.
WSDOT says drivers should plan for long detours during these scheduled weekend SR 202 closures. This section of King County has limited alternate routes. Trucks will need to detour via I-90 each weekend of scheduled work. Local residents will have access up to the creek in both directions, but no one will be allowed to pass through the work zone.
