Welcome to Skagit County

January 4th, 2007

WSDOT PRESENTS DRAFT SKAGIT RIVER DEBRIS MANAGEMENT STUDY

MOUNT VERNON – On January 10, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and Skagit County will host an informational public meeting in Mount Vernon. WSDOT and the county will present the draft Skagit River Debris Management Study.

Skagit County Public Works Department Building
1800 Continental Place
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

BNSF Railway owns the bridge spanning the Skagit River at Burlington. During high floods, the bridge columns (also known as piers) catch debris and worsen flooding in the area. The county’s original plans were to replace the entire bridge. Instead of replacing the bridge, Skagit County proposed a debris management system.

The county needed a study to determine which debris management plan to use and the cost. WSDOT and the county asked the Washington State Legislature for permission to redirect the bridge replacement funds to the debris management study. The study began in June 2006, and is scheduled for presentation to the Legislature during the 2007 session.

At the meeting, the public will have an opportunity to view the draft study and speak with WSDOT and Skagit County staff about the study. For more information, visit the study Web site.

Date: Thursday, January 04, 2007
Contact: Andrew Wood, Freight Rail Services Manager, WSDOT, 360.705.7938
Ric Boge, Surface Water Manager, Skagit County, 360.419.3419