The City of Redmond celebrated the completion of the newly relocated and restored lower Bear Creek with a ribbon cutting on May 14.

The project, located between SR 520 and Bear Creek Parkway, behind Redmond Town Center, relocated about 3,000 feet of Bear Creek from the mostly straight, channelized “stream” to a meandering, reshaped and re-planted channel, in an existing adjacent open space. The creek now supports healthy and diverse fish runs as well as habitats, including the largest wild Chinook salmon population and many other species.

The project established stream buffers consistent with the city’s Critical Areas Ordinance and allowed the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) “Stage 3” widening of the SR 520 freeway adjacent to Bear Creek. The parallel path and “side-routes” allow people to walk over to the stream and to view and interact with a much improved Bear Creek.

“This collaboration between the city and state emphasizes how proactively addressing our regional transportation challenges and improving our environment can move us forward together,” said Mayor John Marchione. “Relocating and restoring this portion of Bear Creek into a productive salmon-bearing stream continues the city’s commitment to protect and improve our environment.”

The restoration was not only a unique and interesting partnership between the City of Redmond and the WSDOT, but area tribes, as well, according to Lisa Rhodes, City of Redmond communications manager. During restoration, a unique archaeology site was discovered and the city worked closely with area tribes to preserve much of the site while recovering many artifacts for academic studies, Rhodes added. The result is a greatly improved habitat for the largest population of Chinook salmon in the Sammamish population.