SR 3 Closure Near Gorst Expected to Impact Summer Travel

Mason County travelers should plan for additional travel time this month as a fish passage project has closed a portion of State Route 3 near Gorst.

The closure, which began June 13, affects both directions of SR 3 near Sunnyslope Road Southwest and is scheduled to remain in place through 7:00a on Monday, June 29. While the highway remains open to local residential and business traffic north and south of the work zone, through traffic is not permitted.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is using the closure to remove and replace a culvert that blocks fish passage beneath the highway. During the 16-day closure, contractor crews are installing a large prefabricated concrete culvert and constructing a more natural stream channel designed to improve fish movement both upstream and downstream.

Signed detours are in place throughout the closure. Drivers are being routed via Sunnyslope Road Southwest and Southwest Lake Flora Road, while commercial vehicles are being directed to State Route 302 and State Route 16. Separate routes are also available for pedestrians and cyclists.

Because SR 3 serves as an important regional transportation corridor, travelers should expect delays and plan accordingly. WSDOT recommends allowing extra travel time, consolidating trips when possible, considering carpooling, and traveling during off-peak hours.

The project is part of the state’s ongoing effort to remove barriers to fish passage beneath state highways and improve habitat for salmon and steelhead throughout western Washington. Crews are working double shifts during the closure to complete the work as quickly as possible and reduce the overall duration of construction impacts.

For more information, visit wsdot.wa.gov.