LAKE STEVENS — A project that opened an impassable fish culvert along Highway 92 is almost complete, but first drivers on that roadway will have their own closure to work around.
From 5 a.m. Saturday until 10 p.m. Sunday, both lanes of Highway 92 will be closed between between 127th Drive NE and 44th Street NE near Lake Stevens.
Highway 92 is the most traveled route between Highway 9 and Granite Falls. It’s also heavily used by hikers heading out to the Mountain Loop Highway and the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
The culvert project began last year on Little Pilchuck Creek, which runs under Highway 92 near North Machias Road. Crews widened a narrow channel that funneled water too quickly, making it impenetrable for migrating fish, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. The larger passage allows the creek to flow more naturally and opens up nearly 30 miles of fish habitat.
The creek is home to a variety of fish species including trout and salmon. WSDOT spotted the first migratory fish using the new passage last fall.
This weekend, workers will widen the shoulders, relocate some storm drains and replace a guardrail.
This is the last full-weekend closure scheduled for the project.
Every day roughly 12,000 drivers use the road. Large trucks are encouraged to use Highway 9 and 84th Street NE to bypass the site. Other vehicles should use 44th Street NE to 127th Drive NE or 139th Avenue NE to 28th Street NE and Old Hartford Road.
Drivers can use WSDOT’s mobile app, found at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Inform/mobile, to check travel times before heading out.
Lizz Giordano: 425-374-4165; egiordano@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @lizzgior.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
Gallery
