WSDOT outlines multimillion-dollar fish-passage, roundabout and slide-response projects affecting Skagit County roads

The Skagit County Board of Commissioners heard a detailed update April 29 from Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) officials on multiple projects across the county, including a $150 million fish‑passage effort at Friday Creek on Interstate 5, planned roundabouts on State Route 20, culvert replacements on SR‑9 and Highway 20 and an expected extended closure on SR‑11 after a large rock slide.

WSDOT assistant regional administrator Chris Dimitio summarized the largest effort, saying the Friday Creek project between the Exit 240 (Alger) interchange and North Lake Samish will replace about a dozen fish barriers and 12 separate culverts with a reconfigured two‑channel alignment and five new culverts. "We are getting rid of about a dozen fish barriers there, and rerouting that channel into 2 channels, and creating 5 new culverts," Dimitio said. He said a new crossing under Lake Samish Road likely will not occur until 2026 and will require a complete road closure. He also told the board WSDOT expects to keep all lanes available during the 2026 World Cup events, though speeds may be reduced.

The presentation included safety and resiliency work on SR‑20, where WSDOT plans three single‑lane roundabouts between Burlington and Sedro‑Woolley (Gardner, District Line and Collins Road) to reduce left‑turn conflicts; construction is planned for summer 2026 with an estimated cost of about $10 million. WSDOT also described work at Childs Creek (a SR‑20 location prone to inundation) intended to realign the channel, raise the roadway and allow more natural creek behavior; final construction is targeted for 2027 pending funding.

On SR‑9, WSDOT said it will replace multiple existing five‑foot culverts at Nookachamps and Hansen creeks with larger structures—about 20 feet wide—to improve fish passage, with construction hoped for 2026. A Coal Creek culvert replacement on Highway 20 east of Sedro‑Woolley is already advertised and awarded; WSDOT said work will occur after July 15, 2025, with a single‑lane bypass for roughly 20 days.

Area traffic engineer Josh Shippey described near‑term traffic measures. At Pulver Road, after several intersection angle crashes, WSDOT plans striped “peanut” island treatments to restrict some through and left movements and will monitor operations; raised features remain an option if compliance is insufficient. Speed limit reductions and additional tubular markers are in place on SR‑9 where shoulders have washed out; WSDOT moved a 70→60 mph transition zone farther north on I‑5 to address congestion and rear‑end crashes near the SR‑20 off‑ramp. Shippey also noted a legislative pilot of a southbound highway speed‑camera program that is currently issuing warnings only and ends in June; WSDOT will receive and review the pilot data.

Dimitio warned the board about a recent rock slide on SR‑11 that cleared an estimated 5,000 cubic yards of material (roughly 500 dump‑truck loads). "We're seeing some movement still, and so we're waiting until we can safely access, assess, and then get in there and clean this area up," he said, adding that stabilization and anchoring work could make the closure "an extended closure, maybe up to a month, if not longer." He said the timing will depend on safety assessments and finding funds for the cleanup and mitigation.

Several commissioners pressed officials on how the fish‑passage compliance stemming from litigation and an injunction is reshaping WSDOT’s budget priorities. "The injunction requires 90% compliance by 02/1930," Dimitio stated (as discussed in the presentation), and later said that funding limitations could affect the pace of work: "If we don't have the money to keep pushing the program ahead as we had hoped, the injunction still sits there that we are mandated to perform."

County commissioners and WSDOT staff also discussed local coordination on projects that will affect homeowners and private property access—Childs Creek realignment, Campbell Lake Road roundabout (funded by the Samish Nation, with a two‑year construction approach because of poor soils), and Rosario Road/roundabout scheduling in the same neighborhood. Commissioners pressed for longer‑term solutions on recurring flood and sediment problems at Red Cabin Creek and other sites, and WSDOT said it is working on a report and potential multi‑partner solutions.

Commissioners thanked WSDOT for increased communication and emphasized ongoing concerns about operations and maintenance funding as major capital needs such as large culvert replacements absorb transportation funds.

Ending: WSDOT said it will continue to refine schedules and outreach and will return with updates as designs and funding clearances move forward. The county and WSDOT officials agreed to continue coordination on layout, traffic control and homeowner access during multi‑year projects.