West Kingston Road between Siyaya Avenue and South Kingston Road will close from April 17 to December so a 150-foot, two-span bridge can be built across Carpenter Creek.
This project is funded by Kitsap County Public Works and the United States Navy (the latter using funds to mitigate, or offset, habitat impacts from construction of the weapons handling wharf at Naval Base Kitsap — Bangor).
The bridge will replace a 60-inch diameter culvert considered to be a partial barrier to fish migration. By removing the culvert and installing a bridge, fish will find it easier to migrate to and from the Carpenter Creek estuary, an important salmon spawning ground. The bridge will also help restore the natural tidal function of the estuary and reclaim salt marsh habitat.
The bridge will also result in safety benefits for motorists and pedestrians, including wider travel lanes, new street lights, a five-foot sidewalk and a five-foot bike lane built on the north side of the road. On the south side, a six-foot paved shoulder is included as part of the project.
“This isn’t just a culvert replacement project, but a project that will increase the safety and functionality for drivers and pedestrians alike,” County Commissioner Rob Gelder said in an announcement of the project. “Road closure is never easy, but I hope the community will appreciate the improvements when it’s all complete.”
Naomi Maasberg, administrative director of Stillwaters Environmental Center, located adjacent to the estuary, added, “Replacing that tiny culvert with a big bridge is good for the marsh, the grasses, the fish, and all the wildlife, too. It can’t come soon enough. The temporary inconvenience will be so worth it.”
About that temporary inconvenience … You don’t have to just grin and bear it. For residents within the work zone, driveway access will be maintained at all times. And the county recommends Lindvog Road NE as the most effective detour route.
Travel during off-peak hours. Adjust your travel routine. Combine trips or carpool.
Meanwhile, remember that this culvert-replacement project, as well as other culvert replacement projects being done throughout our state, corrects past mistakes that contributed to declining salmon populations. Shoreline alterations, polluted stormwater runoff, industrial uses, and fish-blocking culverts are some of the factors that have decimated salmon populations. How much of a factor? According to the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, 90 percent of the salmon caught today are bred in a hatchery.
Culvert replacement is part of the hard work that must be done if our wild salmon populations are going to recover.
To learn more about the West Kingston Road culvert replacement project and to sign up for electronic notifications, go to www.bit.ly/WKingston or call Kitsap1 at 360-337-5777. To learn more about the challenges facing our salmon populations, and the work being done to restore salmon habitat and the health of our waters, go to treatyrightsatrisk.org.
