Project overview
Reconnecting waterways where our roads act as barriers is a priority for the state. In western Washington, that means building hundreds of fish passable structures under state highways to create habitat essential for meeting fish recovery goals. Beginning as soon as early 2025, WSDOT will begin installing new fish passable structures that carry five different creeks under SR 169. Two of these creeks are located north of Black Diamond, the other three are south of Black Diamond.
What to expect
WSDOT will select a qualified design-build contractor to complete the design of the fish passable structures for the creeks under SR 169. Highway closure needs method proposed by the contractor. will be determined by the type of structure and the construction.
Work could start as soon as early 2025. However, work at the Ginder Creek location north of Black Diamond cannot begin before 2026. Culvert replacement work on SR 169 could take up to two years.
A map showing the location of two culverts that cross under SR 169 north of Black Diamond.
To protect and restore fish runs, WSDOT is correcting fish barriers found under state highways. Since 1991, when WSDOT created a dedicated program, 365 barriers have been corrected, opening a total of 1,215 miles of fish habitat.
We will replace existing culverts with new fish passable structures. Opening habitat allows more salmon and steelhead at all life stages, including juveniles that aren’t yet strong swimmers like adults, to access important spawning and rearing habitat, including areas that haven’t been accessed in years.
Improvements to fish passage also benefits commercial seafood operations, recreational fishers, and provides more food for our declining orca population. In addition, replacing these culverts helps us meeting our obligation to remove barriers under a 2013 U.S. District Court injunction.
About the creeks
Located north of Black Diamond, there are two culverts that allow Ginder Creek and an unnamed tributary to pass under SR 169 near Roberts Drive.
South of Black Diamond, east of Jones Lake, there are three streams that are tributaries to the lake: Rock Creek, and two unnamed tributaries. New fish passage structures will greatly benefit the chum, coho, resident trout, steelhead and sea-run cutthroat that use these creeks. Replacing these culverts north and south of Black Diamond creates a combined potential habitat gain of 4.6 miles.
