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A $6 million construction project – on U.S. Route 101, near Manzanita – that had been expected to start in June will instead begin next spring, the Oregon Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.

ODOT engineers made design changes that enabled them to shorten the construction time, so the project team should finish on schedule, ODOT spokesman Lou Torres said.

“We made some changes, and that delayed the bid going out,” he said. “It’s going to be done by October 2016, which is when we said it would be done. I know that the community has been looking forward to the project for some time.”

The project involves construction of a new culvert for fish passage and realignment of U.S. 101 entering Manzanita. It’s significant for fish passage through the area and access to the coastal community, Torres said.

An existing, failing culvert will be replaced by a 15-foot-wide one. It will run 460 feet and include extension of a natural stream channel.

The realignment of U.S. 101 will include new left-turn lanes for motorists entering downtown Manzanita and improved pedestrian amenities at the busy intersection.

The project will likely go out for bid in December, Torres said.