Culvert replacement to be more “fish-friendly”

Outflow of the creek on the downstream side of the culvert
(you can see part of the steel box of the culvert).
Photo by Tracy Furutani

By Tracy Furutani

Culvert replacement in Lake Forest Park will begin with the “L60” culvert on Lyon Creek near the intersection of NE 178th St and 44th Ave NE.

This action was decided by a unanimous LFP City Council vote at their meeting March 26.

The construction is set to begin in June and be completed by September, according to the council’s resolution. 

The governor’s “stay at home” order is not expected to delay the timeline, said city engineer Neil Jensen.

Following a 2017 recommendation of the engineering firm Gray and Osborne, Inc., the city approved replacement of the existing culvert, which city resolutions have described as “structurally deficient” and “undersized.” 

The L60 culvert is the first to be replaced along Lyon Creek because of its adjacency to previously-replaced culverts, and it also being the furthest downstream culvert that was not “fish-friendly,” according to Jensen.

In an agreement with the city, the Lake Forest Park Water District is replacing one of its aging water mains during the culvert replacement, confirmed Alan Kerley, the general manager of the water district.

The L60 culvert is near the intersection of
NE 178th St and 44th Ave NE.
Photo by Tracy Furutani 

The L60 culvert is currently made of steel and quite narrow, whereas the replacement structure will be pre-cast concrete and 24 feet wide, specifically made to be passable by fish. 

The original design proposed the removal of some trees in order to improve the stream itself, but that would have required heavy equipment to do excavations in the stream, which would violate the city’s tree protection ordinance.

“So we’re a community that likes our trees and likes our streams,” said councilmember Mark Phillips, “and in this case [this project] illuminated the possibility there may sometimes be conflicts between the two.”

Redtail, LLC, of Snohomish will perform the construction at a cost of about $1.2 million, which was under the engineers’ estimate. The city obtained King County Flood Control District grants totaling $341,000 towards project construction. The balance is being paid for by the city.

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LFP City Council hiring consultant to design culvert replacements

Lake Forest Park City Hall
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

City of Lake Forest Park City Council regular meeting Thursday, July 25, 2019, 7:00pm in the City Hall Council Chambers 17425 Ballinger Way NE.

AGENDA

Ordinances and Resolutions

1. Ordinance 1195/Amendment to Civil Service Rules, LFPMC 2.40.195

2. Resolution 1741/Authorizing Mayor to Sign Agreement for Consultant Services with Gray and Osborne, Inc. to Design a Replacement for Culverts L80 and L90

Staff document (portion)

Background

Culverts L80 and L90 are immediately downstream of a collapsed private culvert that exists on private property on the west side of SR 104, north of NE 185th Street.

Immediately north of the collapsed culvert is a culvert which passes underneath SR 104, identified as L100. Culvert L100 is the responsibility of WSDOT and they are currently designing a replacement as this culvert is included in a list of culverts with fish passage shortcomings WSDOT is required to replace in accordance with a court case.

The City and WSDOT have been communicating for several years about the culverts in order to coordinate our efforts to replace the culverts in a way that results in a proper and efficient transition between the projects.

Preliminarily, there have been discussions about including L100 in a project for which LFP would be the lead agency to replace all three culverts and restoring the creek in the collapsed portion. This proposal would be very similar to that which occurred during the replacement of the Lyon Creek culverts in 2015, where the replacement of WSDOT’s culvert under SR 522 was included in the City’s culvert replacement project, with WSDOT reimbursing the City for the cost of design and construction. 

While that arrangement worked well, WSDOT has scheduled the replacement of L100 for 2021 while the City project is not expected to be ready for construction until 2022.  We are not ruling out a joint project, however, and will continue to communicate with WSDOT on this topic during design.

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WSDOT to begin culvert replacement on Ballinger Way June 30, 2025

The culvert under Ballinger Way / SR 104 is adjacent to the Whizz Kids Academy.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has just announced that work will begin on a culvert replacement on Ballinger Way and 35th Ave NE on June 30, 2025.

Confusingly, this is the same intersection where the City of Lake Forest Park plans the L90 culvert replacement in 2026 or 2027 (see our previous article here)

There is a small culvert under 35th NE next to Ballinger Automotive.

WSDOT culvert project

According to Casey Conley, WSDOT Communications, construction is set to begin on a fish barrier removal project along Lyon Creek where it passes beneath State Route 104/Ballinger Way NE in Lake Forest Park.

Beginning Monday, June 30, 2025 contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will replace an existing culvert that prevents fish from passing with a 24-foot-wide concrete structure near the SR 104 intersection with 35th Ave NE.

The project also will improve habitat within Lyon Creek, which flows from Snohomish County into Lake Washington through Lake Forest Park.

The new culvert structure will open 7.5 miles of potential upstream habitat to Chinook, coho, steelhead, sockeye, sea-run cutthroat and resident trout.

Closure details

Construction will happen up to seven days a week, with traffic control primarily occurring between 9pm and 5am. 

Crews will perform site work and utility upgrades before installing the new culvert beneath SR 104, which will require extended road closures.

The following closures are planned during different stages of the project:

• Overnight, single-lane closures on SR 104, 35th Ave NE and NE 185th St with flaggers alternating traffic in each direction.
• A five-day closure along NE 185th St.
• At least one overnight closure along 35th Ave NE near SR 104.
• A 35-day closure along SR 104/Ballinger Way.

The dates for each extended closure have not been finalized, although the 35-day closure on SR 104/Ballinger Way is tentatively planned to start in early September.

What to expect

Signed detour routes will guide vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians around the road closures. Local access will be permitted during construction, although people will not be able to cross through the work zones.

King County Metro will relocate bus stops along SR 104/Ballinger Way during construction.

Johansen Construction Co. is the prime contractor for the $8.71 million project that, weather permitting, is expected to finish this fall. This work advances WSDOT’s efforts to comply with a U.S. District Court ruling requiring the agency to remove barriers to fish passage beneath state highways.

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Lyon Creek Flood Mitigation road closure and construction update

August 12, 2015 culvert replacement
Photo courtesy City of Lake Forest Park

Access and parking in Town Center from Swirl Frozen Yogurt to the alleyway will be closed August 17 to September 2. The access near Starbucks has re-opened and the drive-thru is back to its normal route.

During the closure, KLB construction will replace the culvert under the Town Center entrance near Swirl/Subway (L40) with a 20’ wide x 140’ long concrete box culvert.

August 13, 2015 culvert replacement
Photo courtesy City of Lake Forest Park

This task also includes stabilization of the stream bed and culvert bed. Disturbed areas will also be revegetated with approximately 300 native plants. KLB Construction will install split rail fencing to delineate and protect environmentally sensitives areas and a pre-cast wall behind the town center to protect the businesses from flooding.

The project is currently on schedule and on budget. The City expects the contractor to complete the in-stream work by September 15th and the project in October 2015.

Other pictures of the project including the SR 522 Culvert replacement, here.

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Traffic revision in Lake Forest Park for culvert replacement work

Intersection at NE 178th St and 44th Ave NE to be closed for 20 days

On Monday, September 21, the City will be closing the intersection at NE 178th St and 44th Ave NE, for a minimum of 20 days.

The closure is so work can be performed on the L60 culvert replacement project. 

Detour signs will be posted. For more information, click here for previous article "Culvert replacement to be more fish-friendly."

For the location of the closure, click here.

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Bothell Way Culvert Replacement successful and on time

Bothell Way was closed to traffic during construction
Photo courtesy City of LFP

The City's contractor, KLB Construction, worked around the clock this weekend from Friday night, July 17 to Monday morning, July 20, 2015, to replace the undersized culvert under Bothell Way NE (SR 522) with a new, 20-foot-wide culvert that will help reduce flooding and improve fish passage. All lanes were reopened Monday morning July 20 at 5:30am.

Culvert under construction
Photo courtesy City of LFP

The SR 522 culvert replacement is part of Lake Forest Park’s Lyon Creek Flood Mitigation Project, which will reduce flooding risk, enhance stream habitat with the replacement of four culverts including the SR 522/Bothell Way NE and extensive stream channel capacity improvements.

The entire flood mitigation project will be completed in 2015. The $6.86 million project is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the King County Flood Control District, the Washington State Department of Transportation, and the City of Lake Forest Park. The project has been designed by Davido Consulting Group, Inc. and is being built by KLB Construction.

The City has a photo journal of the entire project on their  Flickr account.

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Barnacle Creek culvert replacement project construction begins June 8, 2026 in Richmond Beach

Barnacle Creek in NW Shoreline

OMA Construction, Inc. will begin construction activities for the Barnacle Creek Culvert Replacement Project on June 8, 2026, in the Richmond Beach neighborhood of Shoreline.

The project is located on NW 204th Street and includes replacement of the existing culvert crossing, stream restoration, roadway improvements, drainage improvements, and related construction activities.

Road closure and detour route

A full closure of NW 204th Street will be implemented beginning June 23, 2026, and is anticipated to remain in place through September 5, 2026. 

Local access will be maintained where feasible; however, motorists, pedestrians, and residents should expect detours and construction-related impacts during this period.

Construction activities are expected to continue through the fall of 2026.

Residents may experience temporary construction noise, truck traffic, equipment operations, and periodic utility or access impacts associated with the work.

OMA Construction, Inc. appreciates the public's patience and cooperation as these improvements are completed to enhance public infrastructure and fish passage within Barnacle Creek.

For project-related questions, please contact:

City of Shoreline Public Works 

Joel Corlew

Engineer II - Capital Projects

jcorlew@shorelinewa.gov

(206) 307-9773

or visit this information page

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LFP culvert replacement project expected to be complete by mid December

Residents have been patient about detours
Photo by Jerry Pickard

According to City Engineer Neil Jensen, the current construction schedule calls for project completion of the culvert by mid December, 2015.

The contractor had originally planned to have the portion of the project west of 37th Avenue NE complete by the time school started, but crews that were intended to be dedicated to this work could not be freed up from other projects.

New culvert
Photo by Jerry Pickard

The roadway west of 37th is now open to traffic, though it is still a work zone and motorists are encouraged to continue using the signed detour route.

The closed portion of the roadway has shifted to the stretch of 178th between 37th and Brookside Blvd NE, where the culvert replacement work is occurring.

By Wednesday 9/23, the contractor plans to reestablish a pedestrian path across the culvert work zone so pedestrians can travel from Brookside to 37th.

The construction crew is aware of the heavy traffic that occurs twice per day when Brookside Elementary students are dropped off and retrieved, and have arranged for free flowing traffic during these times.

The City asks for continued patience from the motoring public while we complete this important project, and we are all looking forward to the new sidewalks and bicycle lane.

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Traffic revisions at LFP Starbucks for culvert replacement project

Lyon Creek Flood Mitigation Road Closure and Construction Update

Access and parking between Starbucks and Town Center will be closed July 28 to August 17.

The Starbucks drive-thru will remain open. Access near Bank of America has been reopened to provide access into Town Center for SR522 westbound drivers. Eastbound drivers on SR522 will need to enter the Town Center from Ballinger Way.

During the closure, KLB construction will replace the culvert under the Town Center near Starbucks entrance (L30) with 20’ wide x 140’ long concrete box culvert. This also includes stabilization of the streambed and culvert bed. Disturbed areas will also be revegetated with ~1000 native plants. KLB Construction will install split rail fencing to delineate sensitive areas to protect them from encroachment by private landscapers.

Take a look at the City’s Flickr account for pictures of the project including the SR 522 Culvert replacement.

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Section of Bothell Way / SR 522 in LFP to close for a weekend

SR522 closed beginning 7pm on Friday, July 17 until 6am on Monday, July 20

Weekend drivers in the north Lake Washington area should start planning now for a closure of State Route 522 / Bothell Way NE near the intersection with Ballinger Way NE Friday night, July 17 to Monday morning, July 20.

Contractor crews working on the City of Lake Forest Park’s Lyon Creek Flood Mitigation Project will work around the clock to replace an existing culvert with a new, wider culvert that will help reduce flooding and improve fish passage.

“We know summer is a busy time around Lake Washington and it’s never convenient to close a major road like SR 522,” said Lake Forest Park Environmental Programs Manager Aaron Halverson. “But we have to get the work done now before spawning fish return in the fall.”

Completing this work all in one weekend will reduce the overall duration of construction in the area.

Closure details

• Both directions of SR 522/Bothell Way NE will close between Ballinger Way NE and Brookside Boulevard NE from 7pm Friday, July 17 to 6am Monday, July 20.
• Drivers should plan for congestion and adjust their travel plans. While there will be a posted detour around the closure drivers are encouraged to find alternate routes.
• Transit users should plan for delays on SR 522/Bothell Way Northeast bus routes. Bus stops on Bothell Way Northeast between Ballinger Way Northeast and Brookside Boulevard Northeast will be closed during the closure. Riders can board detoured buses on Ballinger Way Northeast near Northeast 175th Street.
• Shoppers will be able to access the Town Center and the Sunday Lake Forest Park Farmers Market via shopping center entrances at Ballinger Way NE and Brookside Boulevard NE.
• Work is weather-dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of heavy rain.

The culvert replacement work is part of Lake Forest Park’s Lyon Creek Flood Mitigation Project, which will reduce flooding risk, enhance stream habitat, and replace four culverts that currently block fish passage, including this one that crosses underneath SR 522/Bothell Way NE.

The $6.86 million project is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the King County Flood Control District, the Washington State Department of Transportation, and the city of Lake Forest Park. It was designed by Davido Consulting Group, Inc. and is being built by KLB Construction.

Information on the Lyon Creek culvert replacement here.

Read more...

Major roadway construction projects to impact SR-522, 130th, 145th, and SR-104 corridors: What You Need to Know

By Paula Goode

Lake Forest Park Resident

Residents and commuters in North King County and South Snohomish County should prepare for a series of significant construction projects scheduled between 2025 and 2030. 

These projects aim to improve transportation safety, enhance fish passage, and support regional transit—but they also may come with major traffic disruptions.

Fire Marshall Burgess of the Shoreline Fire Department, who serves as the Emergency Responder for most of this area, is aware and will “work very closely with our operations team and our dispatching agency to inform them of potential traffic impacts construction projects may have so that they can plan accordingly.” 

"In addition, “If there are any concerns that we have for a specific project and its traffic impacts, we will address those concerns with the City and contractors as soon as we are made aware of them”

Lake Forest Park Police Chief Mike Harden is also aware and has passed this information to the City of Lake Forest Park’s Traffic Calming Group for their planning purposes.

The impacts that concern most of us is the ‘cut-through’ traffic in our residential neighborhoods and close to schools, especially in Lake Forest Park and Shoreline, as motorists look for work-arounds to avoid slowdowns.

Below is a breakdown of what’s coming, a map and a chart showing timelines and how it may affect your travel patterns. The entity responsible for the project is listed at the beginning of the project description:

1. Lake Forest Park Roundabout & Culvert Replacement (40th Pl NE & Ballinger Way)

• Timeline: Q3 2025 – Q3 2026
• Scope: Construction of a new roundabout and culvert for improved safety and water flow.
• Impacts: Traffic delays on Ballinger Way NE, restricted neighborhood access.
• Traffic Ripple Effects: Congestion likely to back up onto SR-522/Bothell Way NE, affecting Lake Forest Park's main corridor.

2. Shoreline NE 145th & I-5 Interchange Roundabout

• Timeline: Q4 2025 – Q4 2026 (possibly into Q1 2027)
• Scope: West-side roundabout at NE 145th and I-5.
• Key Detours and Closures:
• No northbound exit from I-5 at NE 145th.
• No westbound access to I-5 from NE 145th.
• No direct access to South Shoreline Light Rail Station from NE 145th.
• Traffic Ripple Effects: Drivers will divert to Lake City Way and SR-522/Bothell Way NE; increased residential cut-through traffic anticipated in Lake Forest Park.

3. Seattle NE 130th/125th St Mobility & Safety Redesign

• Scope Highlights:Conversion to single-lane vehicle travel in each direction with protected bike lanes.
• “Right-out-only” redesign at 3rd Ave NE & NE 130th with raised crosswalks.
• New roundabout at Roosevelt Way NE & 10th Ave NE.
• Goal: Enhance safety for all users—drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians—along key east-west routes.

4. WSDOT SR-104 – Lyon Creek Fish Passage (Ballinger Way at 35th Ave NE)

• Timeline: Q3 2025 – Q3 2026
• Scope: Replace barrier culverts to restore fish passage.
• Impact: Long-term closure of Ballinger Way NE near 35th Ave NE.
• Traffic Ripple Effects: Major rerouting through SR-522/Bothell Way NE and neighboring residential areas.

5. WSDOT “Revive I-5” – Rehabilitation from Yesler Way to Northgate

• Timeline: Begins Q1/2 2026; pause from June–July 2026 (FIFA World Cup)
• Scope:
• Lane reductions on I-5 (2 lanes each direction).
• Directional express lane use.
• Speed limit reduction to 50 mph.
• Month-long ramp closures.
• Traffic Ripple Effects: 84,000 displaced daily drivers will strain NE 145th, Lake City Way, and SR-522/Bothell Way NE.

6. WSDOT SR-522 – Cat Whisker Creek Fish Passage (61st Ave NE & SR-522)

• Timeline: Q2 2026 – Q3 2027
• Scope: Culvert replacement under SR-522.
• Impact: Extended lane closures and detours.
• Traffic Ripple Effects: Delays and rerouting to Lake City Way; heavier residential traffic in Lake Forest Park.

7. WSDOT I-5 McAleer Creek Fish Passage

• Timeline: Expected Q2 2028 – Spring 2030
• Scope: Two major culvert replacements (I-5 & SR-104 in Mountlake Terrace).
• Impact: Lane reductions and heavy construction.
• Traffic Ripple Effects: Significant traffic diversion onto SR-522/Bothell Way NE through Lake Forest Park and Kenmore.

8. Sound Transit Stride-3 (BT-306) Bus Rapid Transit – Lake Forest Park

• Timeline: Q1 2026 – Q1 2028 (schedule not finalized)
• Scope: Widening SR-522 westward to add a northbound BAT lane.
• Impact: Lane reductions, increased local street detours.
• Traffic Ripple Effects: Extended construction will severely affect mobility in the Lake Forest Park business corridor.

Conclusion: Stay Alert, Stay Involved, Stay Safe

As these major construction projects unfold, they will reshape how we move through and experience our region for years to come. While the long-term benefits will include safer streets, improved transit, and restored ecosystems, the short-term disruptions will be real—and significant.

Residents are encouraged to:

• Stay informed by checking project updates from WSDOT, Sound Transit, and local city websites.
• Report safety hazards or detour issues to your city’s public works or transportation department.
• Drive cautiously through work zones, obey detour signs, and watch for increased foot and bike traffic in residential areas.
• Voice your concerns at public meetings or by contacting city councilmembers and project leads—your feedback matters and can help shape mitigation efforts.

This is a time for patience, preparedness, and civic participation. Together, we can navigate this period of change while ensuring our communities remain safe, accessible, and connected.

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Culvert replacement underway at 35th Ave NE & Ballinger Way (SR104)

Photo from 185th Street: the former Ballinger Automotive building has now been demolished. Piping and fencing are in place as the site is readied for the temporary stream de-watering and new culvert placement.

From the Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation

Anyone who has driven along Ballinger Way recently is well aware of the project to replace the Lyon Creek culvert beneath the roadway. Construction is happening up to seven days a week, with traffic control primarily occurring between 9pm and 5am. 

Crews will perform site work and utility upgrades before installing the new culvert beneath SR 104, which will require extended road closures.

The following closures are planned during different stages of the project:

• Overnight, single-lane closures on SR 104, 35th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 185th Street with flaggers alternating traffic in each direction.
• A five-day closure along Northeast 185th Street.
• At least one overnight closure along 35th Avenue Northeast near SR 104.
• A 35-day closure along SR 104/Ballinger Way.

Yes -- that's a lot of human interruption in the short-term -- but well worth it to repair decades of blocked habitat for salmon and other aquatic species.

More details and an updated schedule for this project here

Most fish passage barriers are metal or concrete pipes, known as culverts. Culverts carry streams underneath roads, trails, and railroads. In King County, many culverts are decades old. Older culverts are often too small, too steep, or have a waterfall coming out of them.

Many culverts resemble firehoses, pushing water through at a high speed. This can make the culvert impossible for salmon to swim through. Over time, flows from the culvert can erode a deep hole in the streambed downstream. This prevents fish from being able to jump high enough to enter the culvert. The resulting waterfall out of the culvert creates a fish passage barrier.

Modern culverts look more like arches than pipes. They are big enough to allow the stream in the culvert to simulate natural stream conditions. This means that it's easy for fish and other aquatic life to move upstream or downstream through them.

See the graphic below from King County Department of Natural Resources:

Reminder to be patient, and drive slowly through the construction area!

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Kenmore purchases Savage Moose property for stream restoration

Savage Moose sports bar in Kenmore

The City of Kenmore purchased the Savage Moose property (corner of NE 181st ST & 61st Avenue NE) as part of a long-range environmental stewardship plan. 

The property sits on a stream culvert identified as a fish passage barrier. Future planned work will reconnect fish passage in the stream from Lake Washington to the site and ultimately further up the stream. 

The property is adjacent to the former “Jack in the Box” property, which is now a WSDOT stream culvert replacement project; demo work on that site begins this summer. 

The City’s project on the Savage Moose property will connect to WSDOT’s project, once completed. 

Construction is still 4-5 years out for the City project. For the time being, the City plans to maintain the Savage Moose lease with no change to operations for the foreseeable future. 

The funding for the purchase is from dedicated funding sources specific to culvert replacement work including a King County Conservation Futures grant and Surface Water Management Funds – which are restricted funds and can only be used for these types of projects; the funding from this project does not come out of the City’s general operating budget.

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Culvert replacement jams traffic in Lake Forest Park

Bothell Way

Text and photos by Jerry Pickard

This is the weekend that Bothell Way is shut down for a major modification.

The culvert under Bothell Way has needed replacement for many years as it was too small to handle the stormwater runoff and frequently flooded the shopping center stores and lower parking lot.

It also was a bottleneck for migrating salmon.

Culvert construction

Construction started Friday evening and will continue until 6:30am Monday morning unless the project is completed sooner.

The section of Bothell Way between Brookside Boulevard and Ballinger Way is closed to all traffic.

Northbound traffic on Brookside detour

This has caused a major headache for locals and commuters alike.

Entrance to mall from Ballinger Way

Police have been placed at all stations of the detour to keep traffic flowing smoothly.

Eastbound on 178th

Saturday afternoon it was taking a minimum of a half hour to navigate the detour up Brookside Boulevard to NE 178 and then over to Ballinger Way and then down to Bothell Way again.

McAleer Creek was diverted during construction

McAleer Creek was diverted from the creek bed and pumped past the work site before being returned to the creek bed again.

The new culvert is in place already and sits many feet lower than the old culvert did. The creekbed is also being widened to accommodate storm flow during winter storms.

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Boeing Creek Culvert Replacement Project construction begins with full closure of Innis Arden Way

Completion of Phase 1 with the creation of a restored Boeing Creek
Photo by Keith McGlashan

Boeing Creek Culvert Replacement Project (Hidden Lake Phase 2) construction begins

Construction dates: June 2026 – late 2026 (approximately 6 months)

In the first phase of the Hidden Lake Dam Removal project, we removed the dam at Hidden Lake and restored Boeing Creek through the former lakebed. (See previous article)

We are now beginning the second phase of the project which will replace the existing culvert below NW Innis Arden Way. This work will help minimize flood and erosion risks in the area. It will also help remove barriers to fish passage and improve the habitat for native species in and around Boeing Creek.

This work takes place in a stream, so we are required to follow Washington State regulations on the timing of construction. These regulations limit any possible disruption to fish and their migration patterns.

This section of Innis Arden Way will be closed for six months

Full closure – NW Innis Arden Way begins June 8, 2026

This work requires a full closure of NW Innis Arden Way between NW 166th Street and the entrance to Shoreview Park. 

Detour will be in effect for six months

Please use alternate routes to travel through the area. The full closure will begin June 8 and is expected to be complete at the end of October 2026. There may be single lane, temporary closures before and after the full closure.

More information:

Project Manager: Michelle Horio, P.E.

Contact: mhorio@shorelinewa.gov, 206-801-2457

Website: shorelinewa.gov/hiddenlake

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Lyon Creek Flood Reduction Project Open House Tuesday

Lyon Creek December 2010
Photo courtesy City of Lake Forest Park

Lyon Creek Flood Reduction Project Open House Tuesday, April 22, 2014 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Join the City, project engineers and environmental experts to discuss the Lyon Creek Flood Reduction Project. Discussion will include project design elements, park restorations, stream corridor improvements and traffic impacts.

Lyon Creek is prone to flooding that damages commercial and residential structures. In 2012, the City was awarded a $3 million grant from FEMA and a $1 million grant from King County to design and construct a flood reduction project.

The City modified its original plan to construct a flood bypass pipe to instead enlarge the culverts through the Town Center under State Route 522. The culvert replacement project will benefit aquatic organisms and provide the same level of flood protection.

Sheridan Beach December 2010
Photo courtesy City of Lake Forest Park

Lyon Creek originates in Mountlake Terrace and Brier, flowing through Lake Forest Park and into Lake Washington at Lyon Creek Waterfront Park. With a watershed area of only 2600 acres, it is one of the smallest Lake Washington tributaries. Despite its relatively small size, Lyon Creek causes devastating flooding in Lake Forest Park during large storm events.

The flooding is characterized by the creek overflowing its banks near the Town Center and flowing into McAleer Creek. The flooding causes over $4 million in damage to public and private property for each large event.

Following the December 3, 2007 flood event the City initiated a flood reduction study to identify the source of the flooding and potential solutions. The study was completed in 2009 and recommended that a high flow bypass or culvert replacement be pursued on Lyon Creek to reduce the severity of flooding experienced on lower McAleer Creek and Lyon Creek. 

Project Webpage

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Agenda for Shoreline council meeting June 14, 2021

The agenda for the June 14, 2021 Shoreline City Council meeting includes three Study Items.

8(a) Discussing Ordinance No. 932 - Authorizing the Placement of a Ballot Measure on the 2021 November General Election Ballot to Authorize a Property Tax Bond Measure for Park Improvements and Park Land Acquisition

The Parks Ballot failed to validate when put before the voters in April 2021 because of an insufficient number of voters. Council will discuss whether to bring this $38.5M bond proposal back to the voters in the November 2021 General Election when historically more people vote.

8(b) Discussion of Proposed American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding Allocation

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021, is a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill. Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds provide a substantial infusion of resources to meet pandemic response needs and rebuild a stronger, more equitable economy as the country recovers. Staff will present a proposed phased funding plan for the City’s final ARPA funds of $7.53M.

8(c) Discussion of Ordinance No. 933 - Authorizing the Use of Eminent Domain for Acquisition of Certain Real Properties to Construct the NW Innis Arden Way Culvert Replacement Project

The Hidden Lake Dam Removal and NW Innis Arden Way Projects are currently in the right-of-way acquisition phase of the project. Easements have been obtained for the Phase 1 portion of the work (Dam Removal). Easement offers have been presented to property owners for the Phase 2 (NW Innis Arden Way Culvert Replacement) portion of the work, and negotiations are still underway. Eminent domain is a power granted to political subdivisions, such as the City of Shoreline, through RCW 8.12 to acquire private property for public use. City staff would like Council to consider moving forward with a condemnation ordinance as the required next step to keep this Project on schedule.

View meeting, make comments - info HERE

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Innis Arden Way road closure extended to November 30, 2026

This photo, taken in August, shows the full depth of the excavation we completed.
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline.

Shoreline is replacing the culvert below NW Innis Arden Way for the Boeing Creek Culvert Replacement Project (Hidden Lake Phase II). 

This work will help minimize flood and erosion risks in the area. It will also help remove barriers to future fish passage.

NW Innis Arden Way is fully closed between NW 166th Street and the entrance of Shoreview Park. We had planned to reopen the road by October 31. While we have made considerable progress on the work in this area, our contractor needs extra time to rebuild the roadway and have Seattle Public Utilities connect the water lines. 

The road closure will now last until November 30.

We know that construction and road closures are disruptive to project neighbors and everyone who travels through the area. We appreciate your continued patience as we complete this work and reopen the road safely.

After the road has reopened, we may still need to temporarily close single lanes of traffic during work hours. Flaggers will be present to guide traffic through the work area.

This photo, taken in September, shows the size of the culvert we placed. This culvert is the largest size available. Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

Project Progress

Since the road closure began in June, we have fully excavated the existing roadway and placed the new culvert and stream bed.

We’re currently working to backfill over the culvert, continue improving the stream bed, and plant trees and other vegetation.

Project information and updates here

Read more...

LFP City Council adopts legislative priorities

The Lake Forest Park City Council will meet jointly with Kenmore City Council on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 6pm in Kenmore in a legislative send off for 46th District Legislators.

The 2017 legislative session begins in Olympia on Monday, January 9, 2017.

The Council adopted its top priorities for the session on October 13, 2016

1. Secure culvert funding
2. Corridor study

Secure Culvert Funding
Lake Forest Park is the ideal suburban environment on Lake Washington for salmon to return and spawn. We have a healthy canopy and two stream systems that have historically supported significant populations of salmon. Unfortunately, aging culverts, and one collapsed culvert, restrict the ability of salmon to spawn in Lake Forest Park. The City is committed to restoring its creeks. To accomplish this goal, each creek will need a series of culvert replacements. Lake Forest Park respectfully requests that the state be a key funding partner in this multi-year project. Of particular interest is a series of culverts around SR 104 on Lyon Creek. WSDOT has given high priority to replacement of the SR 104 culvert, but for there to be true creek restoration, a downstream private culvert that collapsed in 1997 and undersized public culvert also need to be replaced. The City seeks a partnership with the State to package the three culverts into one project with multiple funding partners so that this key project can be underway in the next 2 years.

Corridor Study
A corridor study of SR 522 and SR 104 is underway in Lake Forest Park with the help of state funding. Concurrently, the City is funding a safe streets study to improve arterials and neighborhood streets including their connections to the state highways. The City has also begun to build relationships with the neighboring jurisdictions of Kenmore and Shoreline and has aggressively pursued Sound Transit 3 project elements for Lake Forest Park, including a parking structure, sidewalks and bus rapid transit. The City is also committed to contributing to future complete transportation projects over the next decade.

Other Legislative Priorities

1. State-Shared Revenues -The City requests that as the Legislature develops its 17-19 budgets that it fully fund local-state shared revenues, and further asks that the legislature restore full funding to the liquor revolving account. The City supports legislation that restores liquor profit revenues to pre-2012 levels by removing the 2011 cap, and restoring the 50/50 revenue sharing relationship over multiple biennia and dedicating the revenue to public safety.
2. Police Body Cameras -The City will monitor legislation emerging from the Task Force on Use of Body Worn Cameras.
3. Transit-Oriented Development - The City supports legislation and funding programs that support transit-oriented development in urban areas.
4. Infrastructure Funding - Lake Forest Park supports developing a statewide solution to local infrastructure funding needs to fill the void created with the ending of the Public Works Assistance Account.

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After three years, historic Federal Infrastructure Law delivers nearly $10B for Washington state roads, bridges, ports & airports

Interactive map shows county-by-county breakdown of every transportation project in WA funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Nationwide, $288B in BIL funds remain to be allocated by the federal government in FY25 or later

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This Friday, Nov. 15, will mark the three-year anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), a once-in-a-generation investment in America’s infrastructure. Since 2021, the investments included in the law have delivered $9,889,700,277 to transportation infrastructure projects across Washington state.

An interactive map detailing the highway, road, port, airport, rail, ferry, and culvert projects across the state that have received BIL funds over the last three years can be found HERE. The map can additionally be broken down by county, Congressional district, and/or project type.

"Washingtonians are seeing many benefits from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, from a new passenger terminal at Spokane International Airport, to helping replace the outdated I-5 bridge, to billions in new energy grid upgrades, to restoring salmon habitat, to major new port investments that will boost exports and local jobs. 

"All these historic infrastructure investments are making our economy stronger and more resilient, and should be continued regardless of the change in Administration,” said U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

Senator Maria Cantwell

As chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Sen. Cantwell authored many of the provisions in the law to meet the needs of Washington state. Additionally, much of the funding has gone out under grant programs authorized by the Commerce Committee.

This year, major projects funded through the BIL included:

• $2.1 billion for the Interstate 5 Bridge Replacement Program: In December 2023, the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program received a $600 million grant from the National Infrastructure Project Assistance program, or Mega program. Sen. Cantwell authored the Mega program in order to dedicate federal funds for projects that are critical for the U.S. economy, but too large or complex for existing funding programs. The Mega program was enacted in BIL and appropriated $5 billion to award over five years. Then, in June, IBR received an additional $1.499 billion from the BIL-funded Bridge Investment Program – making the I-5 bridge replacement the recipient of the largest-ever federal investment in a Washington state transportation project.
• $200 million to replace the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge: In January, the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge received $200 million for a replacement project that will prevent the 100-year-old bridge from closing to trucks by 2030 and all traffic by 2040. The funds came from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program, which Sen. Cantwell authored in 2015 and secured a 78% funding increase for in the BIL.
• $51 million to repair the Hood Canal Bridge: In October, the Washington State Department of Transportationreceived $51,125,917 in federal funds to repair the Hood Canal Bridge, which allows more than 30,000 daily commuters and freight vehicles avoid a 100-mile detour around Puget Sound. The grant came from the INFRA program.
• $115 million worth of investments in rail systems across Washington state: In October, the Federal Railroad Administration announced nine major investments in the state’s rail infrastructure totaling $115,577,598, helping move our freight and agricultural products to market more quickly and safely. Funding came from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, which had its annual funding tripled by Sen. Cantwell as part of BIL negotiations.
• $65.5 million to upgrade our state’s airports: In the first six months of 2024 alone, airports across Washington state received a total of $40.9 million in Airport Improvement Grants (AIG) and Airport Terminal Program (ATP) grants, both established by the BIL. In October, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Tri-Cities Airport, Spokane International Airport, and Yakima Air Terminal received a total of $24.5 million in additional ATP funds.
• $44.5 million to modernize our state’s port infrastructure: Just today, ports in Tacoma, Bellingham, Port Angeles, Anacortes, and Neah Bay received a total of $44.5 million for infrastructure upgrades to reduce costs and carbon emissions. The funding came from the Port Infrastructure Improvement Program, which was established in 2019 and received $2.25 billion in BIL funding.

Sen. Cantwell authored several of the programs used to disburse BIL grants over the past three years. In addition to INFRA, Mega, and PIDP, she also helped create and fund:

• National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration: Helps remove or redesign culverts and weirs that create barriers to salmon migration. Sen. Cantwell authored the program and helped secure its inclusion in the BIL with $1 billion in funding.
• Air Traffic Control Facility Funds: In addition to the AIG and ATP grant programs, Sen. Cantwell also secured $5 billion in the BIL to upgrade Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control facilities nationwide.
• Railroad Crossings Elimination: At-grade railroad crossings are safety hazards and a major cause of traffic congestion. This grant program helps local communities fund costly separation projects such as bridges or overpasses. The BIL provided $3 billion over 5 years for this program.
• Safe Streets For All Program: Safe Streets For All grants help local governments carry out Vision Zero plans and other improvements to reduce crashes and fatalities, including for cyclists and pedestrians. Sen. Cantwell created the program, steered its authorization of the program through the Commerce Committee, and ensured that the program was among the transportation investments included in the BIL.
• PacNW Transmission Upgrades: Utilizing a $10 billion increase borrowing authority included in the BIL, the Bonneville Power Administration has announced $5 billion in electricity grid improvement projects that will significantly increase the capacity and reliability of the Pacific Northwest grid and its ability to integrate new energy sources.
• Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP): The Department of Energy’s GRIP program, aimed at making our nation’s electricity grid more resilient, is a $10.5 billion dollar program authored in part by Sen. Cantwell in 2007 and subsequently expanded and funded in the BIL. In October, the Department of Energy announced three federal grants totaling $208.4 million to help Puget Sound Energy, Avista Utilities, and E Source modernize their electricity grids and ensure homes and businesses in Washington state can count on affordable and reliable electricity service, particularly during natural disasters.

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