New Bridge Opens Across Kilisut Harbor Along SR 116 For Improved Fish Passage

Press release from the Washington State Department of Transportation:

October 22, 2020

PORT TOWNSEND – A roughly $13 million fish barrier correction project has wrapped up on time and on budget – resulting in a new 440-foot bridge that spans Kilisut Harbor along State Route 116 in Jefferson County.

Cascade Bridge LLC crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation successfully opened the highway to two-way traffic on Oct. 15, 2020. A temporary traffic signal had altered traffic at the Marrowstone Island site since construction began over a year ago.

“Work involved replacing two small culverts that were installed in the 1950s,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Dan McKernan. “The crossing connects both Indian Island and Marrowstone Island and is a huge win for local salmon and Hood Canal fish.”

This work is part of WSDOT’s Fish Barrier Removal Program, which identifies and removes barriers to fish caused by culverts under state highways. WSDOT teams up with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife to identify locations where culvert replacement will increase fish habitat.

Due to the Governor’s Stay Home - Stay Healthy order issued on March 23, a video was produced in lieu of a grand opening ceremony.

WSDOT would like to thank lead partner, North Olympic Salmon Coalition, and the community for their support of this important project.

Travelers may encounter intermittent lane closures through November as crews finish landscaping and install permanent signage.

This press release was produced by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The views expressed here are the author’s own.