Fish Hatchery Road Bridge No. 61B Removal

Status update
This project is now complete. The bridge was removed in summer 2021. Permanent gates were installed in early 2022 to help prevent pedestrians and cyclists from entering the closed-off area.Project overview
The 20-foot-long, timber-supported Fish Hatchery Bridge was originally built in 1950. King County has repaired the bridge several times, and permanently closed it to vehicle traffic in 2018 due to severe flood damage. Flood events in 2019 and 2020 have continued to damage the bridge and Fish Hatchery Road further.
In response to community and project-partner feedback, the County permanently removed the damaged bridge in July 2021 and will install locked gates to protect the public.
The bridge removal did not impact parking or how people currently access the area for recreation. The bridge support piles and roadway abutments will remain in place in case they are used in the future for habitat restoration or other use.

Why King County removed this bridge
The area surrounding the Fish Hatchery Road Bridge is prone to flooding. In late 2020, King County determined that the benefits of removing the bridge altogether outweighed the environmental and financial costs of building a replacement bridge large enough to withstand flooding. Removal of Fish Hatchery Bridge also will help improve the local habitat by allowing a more natural connection between the Snoqualmie River and the 17-acre wetland northeast of Fish Hatchery Road. Removal of the bridge does not affect local access to residences on both sides of the bridge.