Date:  Friday, October 07, 2011

Contact: Dave Chesson, WSDOT Communications, 360-757-5970 (Burlington)

LYMAN – During every major storm for the last several years, crews have had to battle Red Cabin Creek to keep State Route 20 open near Lyman. Heavy rain and loads of debris would plug a culvert and flood the highway, causing big headaches for crews and drivers. Now, a new bridge is open over the troubled creek that will keep the highway open during storms.

“We’re really excited for the new bridge,” said Maintenance Superintendent Gary Ward. “We’ve been out there almost every year in the middle of major storms sandbagging and digging with an excavator trying to keep the creek from flooding the road. Now we can focus on other emergencies and drivers won’t have to worry about the road closing.”

The Washington State Department of Transportation and contractor Interwest Construction Inc. of Burlington opened the new bridge on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 6. The new bridge means safer passage for both drivers and fish.

“When the creek flooded, it wasn’t unusual to see fish swimming across the highway,” said Ward.

The new streambed should help numerous species of fish move up stream to spawning grounds, including cutthroat and rainbow trout, coho, Chinook and chum salmon.

The total project cost, including design, permits and construction, was $5.1 million.

For more information, including photos of the project, please visit the project website at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR20/RedCabinCreek.

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