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I-90 - Sunset Creek - Fish Passage

Project overview

WSDOT is building bridges over Sunset Creek in Bellevue along both directions of I-90, Southeast Eastgate Way and Southeast 36th Street in Bellevue. These bridges will replace culverts that block fish passage on Sunset Creek, allowing natural stream conditions to return in this section of the waterway and opening new upstream habitat to native and migrating fish.

Timeline
2023 - 2027
Project status
Construction
Funding
$109.5 Million

What to expect

Bridge construction on Interstate 90:

Construction started in mid-2023 and is scheduled to continue in stages until early 2027. Here's what you can expect during construction:

  • Bridge construction is complete on westbound I-90, and traffic has returned to its original configuration.
  • Bridge construction is nearly complete on eastbound I-90. The eastbound I-90 HOV lane is tentatively scheduled to reopen in early 2026.
  • Overnight lane and ramp closures will continue on eastbound and westbound I-90 between I-405 and 156th Avenue Southeast for ongoing construction through 2026.
  • Streambed and habitat restoration in Sunset Creek beneath I-90 will begin in early 2026 and continue into early 2027.

Bridge construction on Southeast Eastgate Way:

A six-month closure of all lanes of Southeast Eastgate Way began April 21, 2025, between Seattle Humane and Polaris at Eastgate for construction of a new bridge over Sunset Creek. Here's what you can expect during construction:

  • A detour for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians using Richards Road, Southeast 26th Street and 139th Avenue Southeast.
  • King County Metro bus stops on this section of Southeast Eastgate Way will relocate during bridge construction. The detour is shown in the Maps and Drawings section of this website.
  • Local access will be permitted to the east and west of the closure on Southeast Eastgate Way, but people cannot pass through the work zone.
  • Driveways along this section of Southeast Eastgate Way will not be blocked during construction.
  • Traffic likely will increase along the detour route during peak travel times.
  • Construction will primarily occur during the day between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. 

Bridge construction on Southeast 36th Street:

Bridge construction on Southeast 36th Street over Sunset Creek finished in early 2025. All travel lanes are now open across the new bridge. 

This project is combined into a single contract with two other fish passage projects on SR 161 and SR 202 and 203. Construction is scheduled to occur in stages from 2023–2027. The work on I-90 began in the spring of 2023 and remains active. 

By building four new fish passages under I-90, Southeast Eastgate Way and Southeast 36th Street, we can restore natural stream conditions in Sunset Creek and open spawning habitat to help several fish species recover. 

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To protect and restore salmon runs, WSDOT is correcting fish barriers found on state highways. Since 1991, when WSDOT created a dedicated program, 365 barriers have been corrected, opening a total of 1,215 miles of fish habitat.

Opening habitat allows more salmon and steelhead at all life stages (including juveniles who aren’t yet strong swimmers like adults) to access important spawning and rearing habitat, including areas that haven’t been accessed in years.

The new fish passages will benefit many species by creating new rearing and spawning habitat. The Sunset Creek passages will create up to 1.65 miles of potential habitat gain, including an upstream location rated good-to-excellent for rearing.

Upholding treaty rights

Barrier culverts prevent tribes in western Washington from benefiting from their treaty-based fishing rights. While we have made progress since 1991, a 2013 federal court injunction requires us to speed up our fish passage work in western Washington. This project is part of WSDOT’s 2030 Fish Passage Delivery Plan to open 90% of habitat blocked by state culverts.

In designing this project, WSDOT has worked closely with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe to select hydraulic specifications that ensure a strong revitalization in Sunset Creek, and a return of fish to their natural habitat. 

More fish, more jobs

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington’s seafood industry supports 64,000 jobs and $3.7 billion in economic value. These economic benefits depend on our state’s mission to reverse species decline and boost recovery rates. That is only possible if we make gains in habitat for spawning and rearing.  

This project will also give an immediate boost to the area’s economy by creating more than 100 construction jobs.