In a major update during the July 28 Olympia City Council meeting, state leaders presented a streamlined, climate-resilient vision for the long-awaited Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project. The initiative transferred to the Washington Department of Ecology last July. They aim to resolve South Puget Sound's decades-old water quality crisis by removing the Fifth Avenue dam and restoring natural tidal flows.
To manage overall costs while prioritizing pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, Ecology unveiled a redesigned, single-lane blueprint for the replacement of Fifth Avenue Bridge. Traffic modeling confirms that reducing vehicular lanes to one lane in each direction accommodates local traffic while creating space for protected multi-modal corridors.
Cyclists will benefit from dedicated bike lanes shielded by 2-foot-wide mountable concrete curbed medians. On the south side, pedestrians and casual riders will have access to a 12-foot-wide curved shared-use trail offering gathering spaces, seating, and scenic vistas of the estuary and state Capitol.
On the west side, a new roundabout will connect Deschutes Parkway, Fifth Avenue, and a newly created roadway named Olympic Street, linking directly to the Fourth Avenue roundabout.
“I’m actually very glad to see this bridge redesign,” said Olympia City Council Member Dani Madron. “I really, really appreciate Ecology taking leadership on this issue … this issue is a very long time coming for our community, and people are really, really excited about this.”
Addressing frequent King Tide flooding in downtown Olympia, Ecology’s plan includes constructing a 3-to-4-foot habitat berm along the Heritage Park shoreline. This elevation boost closes a primary downtown flooding path while creating a scenic multi-use waterfront trail.
Council members praised the shift from abstract concepts to actionable engineering. “I think the greatest challenge this project has faced is that the community has had a hard time visualizing the reality of it,” said Council Member Wayne Baron. “It’s been conceptual, but not reality. And I’m so excited by this presentation because it’s very tangible and real for the first time for me personally.”
Project managers assured the city council that the existing dam will remain operational throughout bridge construction to preserve transit access and water level management.
Fully funded through final design by the state legislature, the project is scheduled to reach 100% design completion in July 2027.
Pending competitive grant funding, initial site construction could launch as early as late 2027, with bridge construction targeted for mid-2029 through late 2031 before dam removal begins.
“It’s not often you see something go past a 90% design and be that close,” observed Council Member Robert Vanderpool. “I really do appreciate the fact that there is a timeline”.
Council Member Clark Gilman added that seeing a target date for restored tidal flow was “unimaginable just a few years ago.”
Mayor Pro Tem Yến Huỳnh closed the presentation thanking the project team: “I’m excited by all this too ... thank you so much for all your hard work.”
