RB McKeon, communications, 360-757-5963 Melissa Ambler, project engineer, 360-788-7400

A concrete solution to fish passage barriers - New projects launched for Lorenzan and Fish Creeks near Concrete

CONCRETE – Construction of two fish passage projects along State Route 20 gets underway soon in Concrete. One project at Lorenzan Creek begins later this month and another at Fish Creek starts in September.

Contractor crews from Bellingham-based Strider Construction, working for the Washington State Department of Transportation, will install two new concrete fish-passable culverts. The existing culvert at Lorenzan Creek will be replaced with a new three-sided, bottomless fish structure that is 16 feet wide by 48 feet long. The existing culvert at Fish Creek will be replaced with a new four-sided box structure that is 19 feet wide and 44 feet long that will allow fish to pass underneath SR 20.

What can travelers expect: As crews work in the area along SR 20 near Dalles Road they will temporarily occupy the Cascade Trail and reroute SR 20 traffic around the construction work zone for up to three weeks. During construction, approximately four-tenths of a mile of the trail will be closed to the public to ensure safe travel in and around the construction area. Bicycles and pedestrians will use a two-thirds of a mile detour along town streets and sidewalks.

Additionally, travelers along SR 20 between the area of North Superior Avenue and E Avenue should expect single-lane alternating traffic with a flagger or a temporary signal seven days a week, 24 hours per day during construction.

Lasting improvements: Once construction at Lorenzan Creek and Fish Creek is complete, the temporary paved area on the Cascade Trail will remain for the benefit of future trail users, making it easier for bicyclists, pedestrians and other non-motorized equipment to utilize this area.

State highways cross streams and rivers in thousands of places in Washington state, which can impede fish passage. WSDOT has worked for nearly three decades to improve fish passage and reconnect streams to help keep the state's waterways healthy.