Poulsbo Council OKs $238,000 state grant for Eighth Avenue culvert design to improve fish passage

The Poulsbo City Council on March 12 approved acceptance of a state grant to design a replacement for an aging culvert on Eighth Avenue that limits fish passage on the South Fork of Dogfish Creek.

Stormwater Permit Coordinator Rachel Bowen told council the culvert is “an aging undersized culvert, that restricts fish passage on South Fork Dogfish Creek.” She said the Recreation and Conservation Office’s Fish Barrier Removal Board offered design funding: “The total design cost for the grant is $280,000. $238,000 of that will be Fish Barrier Removal Board grant funds and $42,000 of that will be City match.” Bowen said the city has $100,000 already programmed in the Stormwater capital improvement program that will be used for the match and that staff expects to reach 90% design in the first quarter of next year.

Bowen and staff stressed the action on Tuesday covers design only. Bowen said construction costs are not included and would be pursued through separate future grant requests or CIP additions: the city does not yet have construction funding. Council members asked whether the culvert project is tied to a separate Eighth Avenue realignment study; staff said the realignment is an independent, longer‑term planning project and that the culvert replacement is a stand‑alone design needed regardless of how the road is ultimately realigned.

Councilmember questions focused on scope and timing. Bowen said the city initially thought it had not won the grant and that the award was a later opportunity that staff did not anticipate. After questions, a motion to approve the grant agreement and the related budget amendment was made and seconded; the council then approved the motion.

The grant acceptance authorizes the mayor to sign the agreement and moves the design work forward, but construction will require separate funding and additional council approval if and when construction grants or CIP allocations are identified.

Implementation details: staff will complete design engineering work under the grant and then pursue construction grants or program the construction in a future CIP year. Council members and staff noted the need to coordinate design with other nearby drainage and transportation projects so future construction can be performed efficiently.

The council’s approval moves the Eighth Avenue Culvert design into the city’s project pipeline but does not commit construction funds or a final alignment for Eighth Avenue.