Clearing the Way: Massive Precast Culvert Restores Fish Passage in Washington
An aging metal culvert beneath a roadway near Port Ludlow, Washington, blocked salmon and steelhead from reaching upstream habitat in Shine Creek. As part of the Washington State Department of Transportation's Fish Passage Program, Jensen Infrastructure manufactured a three-sided precast concrete box culvert system designed to replace the restrictive pipe while supporting the roadway above. The 127-foot-long structure incorporates precast stem wall footings and sections weighing more than 45,000 pounds each. Installed in August 2023, the new culvert provides a wider, more natural stream channel that restores passage for migrating fish while maintaining the transportation connection.
Fast Facts
- Project Name:
- Shine Creek Fish Passage
- Location:
- Port Ludlow, Washington
- Precast Products Used:
- Box & 3-Side Culverts, Underground
- Precast Producer:
- Jensen Infrastructure
- Completion Date:
- August 2023
The Challenge
An aging, deteriorating metal culvert at Shine Creek near Port Ludlow restricted the movement of salmon and steelhead, preventing fish from reaching upstream spawning and rearing habitat.
Replacing the culvert was part of the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Fish Passage Program, an ongoing effort to remove barriers that restrict fish migration. The program also addresses obligations associated with a federal court injunction concerning tribal treaty-protected fishing rights.
The Shine Creek crossing required a structure large enough to accommodate a more natural stream channel while supporting the roadway above. Construction presented substantial challenges, including excavation approximately 47 feet deep and the need to place about 20 feet of fill over the tallest portion of the new structure.
The project team needed a durable replacement that would improve aquatic connectivity while meeting roadway loading requirements and allowing efficient installation within a demanding excavation.
Precast Solution
Jensen Infrastructure manufactured a 3-sided precast concrete box culvert system supported by precast concrete stem wall footings.
The three-sided configuration spans the stream channel without a continuous concrete bottom, allowing a more natural streambed beneath the crossing.
Each culvert section measures 18 feet wide with a 17-foot clear inside span. When assembled with the stem wall footings, the structure reaches a height of 16 feet. The complete culvert extends 127 feet, with individual culvert units weighing approximately 45,646 pounds.
The components were manufactured at Jensen’s Puyallup, Washington, plant and transported to the project site for installation by Seton Construction.
Manufacturing the large sections off-site allowed crews to install completed structural components rather than constructing the entire culvert in place. The precast system provided the structural capacity needed to support the roadway while creating a wider opening for Shine Creek.
The replacement was installed in August 2023.
- 127 feet Total length of the precast culvert system
- 17 feet Clear inside span of each culvert section
- 16 feet Assembled height of the culvert and stem wall system
- 45,646 pounds Reported weight of each precast culvert unit
- 47 feet Approximate excavation depth required for construction
Why Precast?
Precast concrete provided the structural capacity, configuration flexibility and installation efficiency needed to replace a restrictive fish passage beneath an existing roadway.
Natural stream passage: The three-sided culvert design spans the creek without a continuous concrete bottom. This allows the stream channel to retain a more natural bed while providing an opening for migrating salmon and steelhead.
Structural strength: The precast system was engineered to support roadway loads and substantial fill above the structure while accommodating a much wider waterway opening than the deteriorating metal pipe.
Efficient installation: Manufacturing the culvert sections off-site reduced the amount of formwork, concrete placement and curing required within the deep excavation. Completed components could be transported to the site and assembled during construction.
Controlled manufacturing: Producing the large structural units in a dedicated plant provided opportunities for dimensional accuracy and quality control before delivery.
Long-term durability: The reinforced concrete system was selected to withstand roadway loads and continued exposure to water and environmental conditions.
These advantages made precast concrete suitable for a project that needed to restore aquatic habitat while maintaining a permanent transportation crossing.
Results
The Shine Creek culvert replacement was installed in August 2023, replacing a deteriorating metal pipe that had blocked fish migration.
The completed three-sided precast structure provides a wider stream opening and restores a passage through which salmon and steelhead can reach previously inaccessible upstream habitat. The new configuration also allows more natural stream conditions beneath the roadway crossing.
Shine Creek was one of two fish passage culvert projects Jensen Infrastructure supplied in the area in 2023. Together, the Shine Creek and nearby Swansonville Creek projects opened access to a combined five miles of upstream habitat.
The contractor reported that the precast sections were installed without problems during setting.
The project demonstrates how precast concrete can address roadway infrastructure needs while removing barriers to aquatic habitat. The submission does not provide post-construction fish counts or monitoring data documenting changes in salmon or steelhead populations.
- Written by:
- National Precast Concrete Association
- Source:
- Shine Creek Fish Passage, Built for Purpose Awards submission
- Published:
- October 26, 2026
- Last Update:
- Oct. 26, 2026
Testimonial
"These were cast in a way that we had no issues when we were setting them."
Project Manager, Seton Construction
