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New ramps coming to Highway 101 near Shelton

New ramps are slated to help the flow of traffic and fish.

SHELTON, Wash. — Shelton drivers will be able to use two new ramps at the U.S. 101 Shelton-Matlock Road interchange as soon as the week of Monday, Dec. 2, depending on weather.

In the meantime, drivers should expect road detours as construction wraps up.

The projects are part of the Washington State Department of Transportation's effort to remove barriers that prevent fish from passing through trafficked areas of roads near Coffee Creek. Improvements will comply with a federal court injunction that requires state-owned culverts that block salmon habitat to be removed.

Washington has dealt with issues around salmon pathways for years, after dams and other built environments began to threaten the fish. New measures aim to realign Coffee Creek parallel to Highway 101, opening over 13 miles of potential upstream habitat for salmon and steelhead.

Native vegetation will also be placed along the stream banks to restore the natural environment.

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