Island County Weighs Glendale Road Repair Versus Stream Restoration

Island County Engineer Randy Brackett told a well-attended community meeting on Jan. 2 that leaving the washed-out portion of Glendale Road in its current state may be the preferable path forward. “We’re not hearing much in the way of support for reconnection,” Brackett said as county staff wrapped up a series of meetings convened after the Glendale Creek flood last spring.

County staff described three technical repair options: creating turnarounds on both sides of the gap, installing a large-diameter oblong arch culvert beneath a repaired roadway, or building a bridge across the divide. Officials said a culvert plus repaired roadway or a bridge would probably cost more than $1.3 million. A comprehensive package that included stream restoration has been estimated at more than $3 million and would likely take two to three years to complete.

Before the flood, roughly 200 vehicles a day used the short stretch linking Holst Road with roads to Cultus Bay Road. With that connector out of service, local drivers have lost a short local route and will need to rely on alternate roads. Meeting attendees and many residents emphasized ecological considerations, valuing restored stream function and improved salmon spawning opportunities over reestablishing the roadway connection.

The debate highlights competing policy priorities for county decision makers: the cost and timeline of rebuilding transportation infrastructure versus the ecological benefits and regulatory implications of stream restoration. County staff are pursuing state and federal funding to help pay for repairs and restoration, and officials said they will present findings and options at upcoming public sessions. A full restoration timeline of two to three years reflects permitting, design, and construction complexities that will shape project sequencing and budgets.

The outcome will affect daily travel for residents who previously relied on the link, long-term habitat for Glendale Creek, and county capital planning priorities. The strong turnout at multiple meetings indicates high community engagement and a willingness among many residents to accept a longer-term ecological remediation rather than an immediate roadway reconnection.

Residents can check Island County postings and attend scheduled community meetings to review detailed cost estimates, funding scenarios, and proposed designs as county staff present further findings and options.