Roadwork continues through fall on Highway 101

By Michael Dashiell • August 14, 2024 1:30 am
Photo courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation / Before and after photos show work that removed barriers to fish. Eagle Creek, left, had been carried under the highway in a culvert that didn’t meet the needs of fish. Workers rebuilt the culvert, right, to be wider and taller to remove the barrier to fish.
Photo courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation / Before and after photos show work that removed barriers to fish. Eagle Creek, left, had been carried under the highway in a culvert that didn’t meet the needs of fish. Workers rebuilt the culvert, right, to be wider and taller to remove the barrier to fish.

A set of roadwork projects along U.S. Highway 101 to remove barriers to fish is about halfway completed, state Department of Transportation officials note, with more projects expected to affect highway traffic well into the fall.

The projects, slated for summer 2023-fall 2025, kicked off with a culvert replacement at Eagle Creek near Gardiner that is now complete.

This summer, work moved to Discovery Creek (Sequim) and Chicken Coop Creek (Blyn). State workers installed two active two-lane bypass roads near West Sequim Bay Road at milepost 268.5, and near Deerhawk Drive at milepost 271.9, respectively, allowing crews to replace culverts with the goal of minimal effects to traffic.

Travelers are now using new highway bridges at both locations.

Photo courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation / Work continues in a new bridge at Discovery Creek; this project near Sequim will be completed this fall, state officials said.

Photo courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation / Work continues in a new bridge at Discovery Creek; this project near Sequim will be completed this fall, state officials said.

“It’s a common tool we use during this type of work,” state officials noted in their blog (wsdotblog.blogspot.com/2024/08/us-101-fish-passage.html). “While we dig up the highway, people use a two-lane bypass road next to the work zone. We’re keeping people moving while we remove barriers to fish.

“Correcting these barriers is an important part of the state’s efforts to restore salmon runs, ultimately benefiting both the Pacific Northwest landscape and economy.”

In April, work began on the bridge at Contractor’s Creek. Crews have temporarily widened U.S. Highway 101 to shift travelers away from the work zone. The shifted lanes will stay in place until next spring, transportation officials said, and this work along Discovery Bay continues through fall 2025.

Later this summer and fall, construction will begin on the final two fish barriers in the project — Johnson Creek near Sequim — as well as a stream in the Blyn area.

Photo courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation Work continues on a new bridge at Chicken Coop Creek near Blyn, with the project expected to be completed this fall.

Photo courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation Work continues on a new bridge at Chicken Coop Creek near Blyn, with the project expected to be completed this fall.

Johnson Creek will require a closure to left turns at the intersection of Whitefeather Way and U.S. Highway 101; there will be no left turns to or from the highway and Whitefeather Way from September through June 2025.

Vehicles accessing the John Wayne Marina or the Olympic Discovery Trail parking lot on Whitefeather Way will detour along West Sequim Bay Road.

“We’re restricted to a short time when we can do this type of work,” Department of Transportation officials noted.

“This window is usually July through September. We do a lot of other work outside this fish window.”

State transportation crews will use a two-lane bypass road to keep people moving through the work zone because of the proximity of the work zone to Whitefeather Way.

Graphic courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation A detour at Whitefeather Way is planned for this September.

Graphic courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation A detour at Whitefeather Way is planned for this September.

In addition, the project will require a temporarily closure of Whitefeather Way at U.S. Highway 101, state officials said, an estimated two-week closure scheduled for spring 2025.

“We understand it is an inconvenience; we work to keep intersections open when possible, state officials noted in their blog. “However, this task will require the temporary closure. We’ll let you know when the closure is scheduled.”

Portions of U.S. Highway 101 are detoured onto the Olympic Discovery Trail.

Get updates on the WSDOT mobile app (wsdot.wa.gov/travel/mobile-app-and-social-media), the travel center map (tinyurl.com/SEQwsdotTraffic) and on social media platforms.