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Jordan Creek Bridge Replacement
Updated March 2026
Jordan Creek experienced a log jam just upstream of Rockport Cascade Road during the December 2025 flood events. The creek then diverted around the west bridge abutment and cut through approximately 70-feet of roadway.
Skagit County originally intended to construct a temporary bridge and lease the infrastructure to reopen the roadway; however, after Public Works designed the temporary approaches for the bridge to set on, the contractor provided their construction and leasing cost estimates of over $2M. Public Works could not afford such a high cost for a temporary fix, particularly when we would need to eventually tear out the temporary bridge to construct a permanent bridge in the future.
While the County searches for a funding source to pay for the permanent bridge structure, Public Works is going through the design process, which will cost approximately $600,000. The County’s plan is to have a shovel-ready project to be more competitive for grant opportunities to fund the construction. Design will be completed in 2026.
If the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were to approve public assistance funds for Skagit County to recover from the December 2025 flooding events, this project would be our number one priority for the usage of those funds.
Background
The bridge over Jordan Creek has had a history of washouts, including one most recently in the 1980s. The creek banks have been diked and armored in the past, which increased the flow velocity and erosion of the waterway when it encounters the bridge.
When evaluating a permanent fix for Jordan Creek, we cannot fill the area where the creek has washed out the road to encourage the creek to run under the existing bridge. Environmental permitting agencies will not allow us to use this strategy as they are concerned the creek will continue to divert to the new path, causing additional washouts.
If Skagit County were to attempt to move the channel back to its original path before the December 2025 floods, the County would be penalized by state and federal agencies, which would require Public Works to conduct expensive mitigation projects to offset the impact of our work. This would also disrupt our relationships with those agencies, which could cause issues with other projects where we need permits in the future.
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Contact Public Works Engineering
Assistant County Engineer | Engineering Division Manager
Thomas Weller, P.E.
1800 Continental Place
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Phone: (360) 416-1400
Fax: (360) 416-1405
email: pw@co.skagit.wa.us |
