BLYN — U.S. Highway 101 will be reduced to one-way alternating traffic for a week near Gardiner as the state Department of Transportation replaces a culvert.
The closure will begin at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13 and run through the evening of Friday, Aug. 18, between Knapp Road and Diamond Point Road. In addition, the speed limit will be reduced to 25 mph from 55 mph through the area.
Travelers should expect delays up to 90 minutes, according to WSDOT.
The lane closure will allow construction workers to remove a small culvert under the roadway and replace it with a larger concrete box culvert, WSDOT said. The work will allow fish to move more freely through the area during migration, which helps protect and restore salmon runs, the agency said.
A timed traffic signal will alternate traffic each direction of traffic through the area. Bicyclists will follow a detour on the nearby Discovery Trail.
WSDOT offered the following tips for drivers:
• Add up to 90 minutes of extra travel time to help prevent delays.
• Consider postponing discretionary trips.
• Travel early in the morning or later at night, especially on Monday, Thursday and Friday.
• Carpool, use transit or telework if possible.
With one lane closed, drivers will see an increase in congestion approaching both sides of the work zone. WSDOT is encouraging travelers to not use county roads as a bypass as it will create congestion on routes needed for first responders and local residents.
Fish barrier removal
The work requires both lanes of the highway to be excavated. Workers will install a new fish passable culvert and rebuild the stream. The efforts will increase the likelihood of fish migration in a more natural creek environment.
The project is part of WSDOT’s ongoing effort to remove barriers to fish under state highways. This project addresses multiple barriers to fish that travel under Highway 101 between Sequim and Discovery Bay.
Real-time information is available via the WSDOT app and the WSDOT real-time travel data map.
