Doug Adamson, communications, 360-357-2716

Changes to SR 3/Chico Way interchange will keep people and fish moving 

BREMERTON – Work to help return Chico Creek under State Route 3 to a more natural state is about to get underway. As soon as Monday, Sept. 20, contractor crews working for the Washington Department of Transportation will install orange signs in and around the Chico Way interchange near Bremerton to notify users that construction is imminent.

"There’s a lot of work ahead for us to open 21 miles of fish habitat,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Lone Moody. “To do this, we will replace the culvert with a new bridge that will carry both directions of SR 3 over Chico Creek.”

Keeping traffic moving during construction Travelers using both directions of the highway will see lanes shifted to the outside shoulders of SR 3. This will allow crews to create work zone to build a new SR 3 bridge over Chico Creek.

Improving fish passage The construction is part WSDOT’s program to remove barriers to fish under state highways.

Chico Creek at the SR 3 and Chico Way interchange currently has undersized culverts that act as barriers to fish. The culverts are under both directions of SR 3 and the southbound highway on- and off-ramps.

Chico Creek is home to native fish species including Chinook salmon and chum salmon. Coho salmon, coastal cutthroat and steelhead trout are also found in the stream. There also are sculpin and western brook lamprey.

WSDOT encourages those who are interested in following the progress of this project, as well as others in on state highways in Kitsap County to sign up for free email updates.  

The work on SR 3 at Chico Creek will be complete by winter 2023.