Construction is scheduled to begin shortly on the first new bridge to be built in San Juan County in 42 years.

Bids were opened last month for the construction of a new bridge over Cascade Creek on Orcas Island and the contract has been awarded to the low bidder, Razz Construction of Bellingham. A total of eight bids were received. The winning bid of $609,098 was slightly higher than the engineer’s estimate of $595,060.

A State Salmon Recovery Funding Board grant of $472,000 will help pay for the improvements. Construction is scheduled to begin in May and be completed by the end of September.

In 2004, emergency repairs had to be made to replace failing rock armoring on the Buck Bay side of the creek to prevent a sudden failure of the road caused by tidal action from storms.  The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife permitted the repair work to be done under the condition that a creek crossing be constructed to provide 100 percent fish passage within seven years. San Juan County Public Works Department completed design and permitting work in 2010.

The new bridge will replace 30-inch and 18-inch culverts that have not been able to convey high flows in the creek and are an obstacle to upstream fish migration. The new 43-foot bridge will allow the high flows and provide a channel with stream sediment-sized gravel to enhance fish and wildlife habitat.  The bridge will be 28 feet wide with two 10-foot lanes and 4-foot wide shoulders to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians. Weathering steel guardrails will be installed for additional vehicle safety.

Motorists and bicyclists are advised that there will be some inconvenience during construction, as a one-lane detour will be in place from June 15 to Sept 30. For more information, contact Dan Vekved at Public Works 370-0504 or email: danv@sjcpublicworks.org.