MILL CREEK: SR 96 fish passage structure installed along North Creek

After more than eight days of work, the structure that will allow fish to swim beneath State Route 96 near McCollum Park is now in place.

All lanes of SR 96 reopened Friday, Aug. 18.

During the closure, our contractor crews installed a 25-foot-wide concrete box culvert and began building a natural creek bed, replacing a 36-inch pipe that prevented fish in North Creek from passing beneath SR 96. Once installation is complete, the new fish passage will open almost 2.5 miles of additional habitat to native fish species, including Chinook, coho, steelhead, searun cutthroat and resident trout.

This was the final major closure expected on SR 96 during the project, but expect other nighttime and weekend single-lane closures in each direction over the next two months as we wrap up work.

Thank you for your patience during this important project!