The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) reports that the Interstate 5/Secret Creek Fish Passage project near Stanwood reached its second major milestone in less than a month. on Friday, March 6. Southbound I-5 traffic has shifted from a temporary two-lane bypass roadway in the median back to its usual three-lane configuration on the mainline freeway during an overnight rolling slowdown that began Thursday night, March 5.
With this shift, both northbound and southbound I-5 are once again operating with three lanes through the project area between Stanwood and Arlington. Travelers should continue to watch for construction vehicles entering and exiting the roadway through the median, as contractors working for the Washington State Department of Transportation continue to restore natural habitat along Secret Creek.
Southbound I-5 transition
On Thursday, March 5, crews began shifting southbound traffic from the bypass road onto the mainline.
On Friday, March 6, all three lanes of southbound I-5 have reopen to traffic. Crews need dry conditions to complete the work.
Improving fish passage in Secret Creek
Both directions of I-5 used temporary bypass roads south of the State Route 532 interchange (milepost 212) while crews removed old, narrow culverts that blocked fish from traveling up and downstream, then built new culverts beneath I-5 at Secret Creek. Northbound I-5 shifted back onto mainline lanes in February, and returning southbound traffic represents a significant step toward completing work beneath I-5.
Now that both directions of I-5 are restored to their original three-lane configuration, crews will continue working on stream reconstruction, fully restoring fish passage and improving habitat along Secret Creek.
The $57.5 million Secret Creek fish passage project is scheduled for completion by December 2026.
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