Salmon enhancement project forces land closures on I-5

Expect lane closures on northbound and southbound I-5 lanes through August 29 between Custer School Road and Birch Bay-Lynden Road for an $11.5 million project to improve fish passage in California Creek.

Work on the project began in May and has caused intermittent lane closures on each side of I-5 this summer, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

The project will create new, larger culverts that will slow water flow, creating easier conditions for fish passage and more natural streambeds. The existing culverts in this part of California Creek are narrow and water flows too quickly for migratory and resident salmon and other species to pass.

WSDOT contractor crews built a temporary bypass in the median of I-5 between State Route 548/Grandview Road and Birch Bay-Lynden Road that now has to be deconstructed, said Tom Pearce, communications consultant for the department of transportation.

“It’s a challenge when we need to dig up both lanes of I-5 to replace a culvert. The median bypass lane will allow us to keep traffic moving on the interstate throughout the project,” said Mikkel Lamay, WSDOT’s project engineer. “The work zones on SR 548 and Zell Road are too small to do something similar, so we’ll need full closures at those locations.”

The deconstruction of the bypass will cause lane closures and possible delays for traffic traveling in both directions, Pearce said.

August 24-29, the intersection of SR 548 and Portal Way will be closed. Closing the intersection helps ensure the safety of workers and travelers, a WSDOT press release said. Traffic will still be able to get to the former AM/PM gas station but will not be able to get through the intersection, Pearce said. Signed detours will be in place to direct traffic.

The project is part of the state’s larger effort to improve fish passage under state highways and will open an additional 6.5 miles of habitat and salmon spawning grounds.