SR 9 near Mount Vernon closes for seven days starting Aug. 12 as WSDOT crews replace a fish barrier in a $5.7 million project. (Map: WSDOT)
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — A major stretch of State Route 9 in Skagit County will close for seven days beginning Wednesday as crews replace an outdated culvert and open a blocked stream to migrating fish.
The SR 9 closure begins at 6 p.m. Aug. 12 and continues through 6 a.m. Aug. 19 near Mount Vernon Big Lake Road.
Both directions of SR 9 will be closed south of Mount Vernon Big Lake Road at milepost 49. For drivers, that means a detour through SR 534, Interstate 5 and SR 538/College Way.
Washington State Department of Transportation officials are warning travelers to expect extra time on the road while the closure is in place.
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$5.7M
Total project cost
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2 mi
Stream habitat reopened
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7 days
Full closure duration
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75+ yrs
Designed structure lifespan
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2
Fish barriers being replaced
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5
Fish species benefiting
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Why SR 9 Is Closing
The closure allows crews to remove a fish barrier beneath SR 9 and replace it with a structure designed to let fish move through the stream naturally.
The work is part of a $5.7 million WSDOT project addressing two fish barriers along SR 9. One site is located along an unnamed tributary to Nookachamps Creek east of Mount Vernon. The other is along an unnamed tributary to Hansen Creek north of Sedro-Woolley.
WSDOT says the two projects will reopen about 2 miles of natural stream habitat. That habitat is important for several species, including coho, bull trout, steelhead, sea-run cutthroat and resident trout.
Another SR 9 Slowdown Is Already Planned
The seven-day closure near Mount Vernon is not the only traffic restriction drivers will encounter on SR 9 this summer.
North of Sedro-Woolley, crews are working near Kalloch Road at milepost 59. Traffic will remain reduced to one lane in that area through Sept. 14.
A temporary traffic signal will alternate northbound and southbound traffic through a bypass road while crews replace the second fish passage structure. Drivers should expect additional daytime and overnight traffic restrictions at both project locations.
The Project Is About More Than Fish
The new structures are being designed to handle more water during heavy storms and flooding. WSDOT says the work should make the highway more resilient while reducing the chance that flooding will cause future road closures.
The structures will also incorporate natural materials, including logs and boulders, to stabilize the stream channels and create habitat.
The new structures are designed to last at least 75 years and will meet modern earthquake safety standards.
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