WSDOT summer construction projects and fish passage work begins

On Wednesday morning, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) gathered near the ongoing Montlake lid project to discuss a number of major changes coming towards drivers in the coming days, as summer construction season has arrived.

"People can still get where they want to go," stressed Tom Pearce, a WSDOT communication manager before warning drivers need to plan ahead before major commutes.

Several projects on I-5, State Route 520, I-405 and SR 509 are already underway. Other projects will begin soon.

Work will include important closures this weekend. That includes NB I-405 between Renton and Bellevue where lanes will be reduced, and a closure of Montlake Boulevard between Hamlin and Roanoke Street. Each area sees more than 100,000 cars on a given weekend, with the stretch of I-405 falling closer to 200,000 commuters.

"The bottom line: There’s a lot of work to be done," said Steve Peer, WSDOT.

While much of the work involves widening lanes or re-routing traffic, one of the major projects in Bellevue is less about traffic – and more about alleviating the stress of traffic.

WSDOT, per a U.S. District Court injunction, has a goal to correct barriers to salmon and steelhead, opening 90% of blocked habitat by 2030.

One major project will begin in the coming days under I-90 in Bellevue to free up 1.65 miles of habitat along Sunset Creek. The work involves building four bridges – two under I-90, and two more under SE Eastgate Way and SE 36th Street.

"They have to drill down to access the culvert that’s 60-feet below the surface," explained WSDOT’s Adrienne Hatmaker. "That takes a lot of work, and a lot of time."

Motorists likely noticed sections of HOV lanes disappear near the project site. That work will allow construction crews to shift traffic while work continues beneath I-90 to excavate and replace culverts.

"We aren’t planning any full closures for that, but there will be a lot of effects for traffic for the next four years or so," said Pearce.

According to Dave Kyle, with Trout Unlimited, these major projects are a big deal. His group, which is not affiliated with the I-90 fish passage work, would likely need its annual budget to pull off a similar type of project. Dollars are stretched thin despite the critical nature of fish passage.

"Salmon habitat, especially in areas like ours, is limited," said Kyle. "A lot of it has been developed or made poor quality, so opening access to some of the most important habitat for our salmon is key."

Kyle said that this work goes beyond fish passage, noting that while beneficial for critically endangered species, it can have human impacts too.

"Some of these barriers are undersized or aging, so this is an opportunity to protect our infrastructure with this investment so we’ll be ready for climate change -- or increase in urbanization."

WSDOT has said that the fish passage recovery program has environmental, cultural, and economic benefits: from creating jobs, to ensuring endangered salmon have a shot at recovery.

Fish barriers prevent western Washington Tribes from exercising treaty-based fishing rights. The Sunset Creek project tied to the I-90 work was selected by the WSDOT after consultation with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.

Take a full look at WSDOT's 49 major projects here.