Overnight lane reductions on SR 161 near 28th Avenue South work start on Sunday, Nov. 17, and will last for about four weeks. Utility crews will work from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights. Construction is not planned during holidays.
Project overview
Three culverts carrying tributaries to Hylebos Creek near Federal Way that block fish passage will be replaced with new structures under SR 161 that restore natural stream conditions. This work builds on our commitment to remove fish barriers on streams that run under state highways.
What to expect
This project has been combined into a single contract with fish passage projects on I-90, SR 202 and SR 203. Construction on the combined project is scheduled to occur from early 2023 until early 2027. Work to relocate utilities running through the SR 161 work zones likely will begin in fall 2024, with major construction starting by mid-2025.
Replacing these three culverts on SR 161 is projected to take about a year. It will likely require closing one direction of SR 161 around-the-clock for up to six months, with traffic shifted to the opposite side of the highway and reduced to one lane in each direction. There may be up to four weekends of full highway closures. There also will be nightly lane closures.
More specific information about closures and when they will occur will be developed by the contractor and shared in advance with the public.
A map showing the locations of three culverts that will be replaced under SR 161 to Hylebos Creek near Federal Way, WA.
