The projects completed by the King County Road Services Division in unincorporated areas not only benefit motorists and pedestrians, but often they also enhance the natural environment for fish.

That was the case on a recent project near Maple Valley that brought together improvements for Southeast 248^th Street, the Cedar River Trail, and a section of Rock Creek.

When the roadway on Southeast 248^th Street began cracking and sinking, road crews discovered that the 100-year-old wooden culvert that carries water from Rock Creek under the road had crumbled and collapsed. And, the wooden trestle – also a century old – that provides trail access over the road needed to be replaced, as well..

In order to repair the road and replace the culvert and trestle, the county had to navigate through a lengthy permit approval process that included federal, state and local agencies due to the project’s proximity to a salmon-bearing stream.

The old culvert, which was originally a timber flume, was narrow and cramped. Few salmon were ever able to make it through the culvert to spawn upstream. So, the county used the opportunity to create a much better fish passage.

"The new concrete culvert has now been installed and is as wide as two lanes of freeway," said Project Manager Kok-Wah Tung, an engineer in the Road Services Division. "We went from a five-foot wide culvert to one that is 26 feet wide – more like a salmon expressway."

It’s obvious that the salmon are enjoying the new culvert and rebuilt stream banks that are now more fish friendly and less prone to erosion. On a recent rainy Monday, there were Coho and Chinook in the stream on both sides of the roadway. Gravel for spawning has been placed throughout the streambed to further improve habitat.

The federally mandated drill was designed to test the response of Airport Rescue Firefighters and mutual responders in the event of an aircraft emergency involving serious injury to the airplane and passengers.

The drill is conducted every three years and known as a Triennial Exercise. It is required by the Federal Aviation Administration to enable the Airport to maintain its operating certificate. All airports operating under regulations known as FAR-139 certification are required to develop an emergency plan and conduct such drills.

"This exercise was conducted to enhance the airport's training for response in the event of an aircraft emergency, as well as providing an opportunity to ensure the coordination between mutual aid departments and surrounding hospitals," said Mike Colmant, KCIA Assistant Airport Director.

The Hyde Shuttle, named in honor of longtime Beacon Hill resident Lillian Hyde, went into operation on Oct. 1. In her will, Hyde bequeathed $403,839 to King County Metro’s ACCESS program to establish a shuttle service for seniors and people with disabilities who reside in Beacon Hill and Southeast Seattle.

The shuttle van is lift-equipped and available on weekdays on a first-come, first-served basis by calling (206) 727-6262, or TTY (206) 296-3701. It is being operated by Senior Services, a non-profit organization serving seniors throughout King County.

Hyde’s donation is also responsible for the creation of the new Ride Options Hotline, a free telephone service for seniors and ACCESS riders living in the area. The Ride Options Hotline connects callers with travel advocates from Senior Services. The Ride Options Hotline is available weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by calling (206) 296-3700, or TTY (206) 296-3701.

Inspections were concentrated in the north half of the county where rainfall was heaviest. The bridges fared well, thanks in part to the level of the Snoqualmie River, which held off from spilling across the entire width of the valley. Bridges in the Skykomish River area also withstood the conditions, despite the highest flows in that river since 1990. About a dozen bridges that were submerged, inaccessible due to closed roads, or suspected to have scour-related problems were slated for follow-up inspections as the water receded.

Floods actually provide a good education for bridge engineers. After each high water event, engineers measure water heights and learn more about how the bridges perform in high water, allowing them to prioritize future flood inspections and repairs

And, remember that 17-foot diameter pipe recently installed at Judd Creek on Vashon Island? Here is a photo of the water flowing through the pipe early morning of Oct. 21. According to Roads staff, if the new pipe had not been in place, it is very likely the road would have been completely lost.