Construction on a Puyallup River side channel near Orting resumed on June 11.

The new 1,400-foot side channel will reduce impacts to nearby neighborhoods from river flooding and establish salmon habitat. Construction began in September 2017.

Construction on the 48-acre site, which is adjacent to the Foothills Trail at South Fork Road and State Route 162, is expected to be complete in November.

Foothills Trail users can expect to be stopped briefly when trucks cross the trail to access the worksite.

Trucks will access the project site via South Fork Road, which crosses the Foothills Trail just north of the McMillin Trailhead and State Route 162 bridge over the Puyallup River.

This is the final phase of a project that started in 2013 with the construction of a 2,000-foot-long side channel along the west side of the Puyallup River to reduce flood risk, restore floodplain and provide salmon habitat.

This last phase of the project will cost $1.7 million, with approximately $1 million coming from state grant monies and the remainder from matching county funds. RV Associates of Port Orchard is the contractor.

A project page is available at www.piercecountywa.gov/southfork.