Photo is taken of Bear Creek behind Safeway during the December '07 storm; not a good day to sit on the park bench!
OPINION about how the proposed state 520 widening project will impact our safety & welfare.
"It appears that the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) never updated their flood maps and calculations to reflect the build-out of Redmond Town Center! The maps do show the Redmond Town Center (RTC) buildings and Bear Creek Parkway, but the flood maps are not updated to reflect that most of the 100-year floodplain that used to cover the RTC site is now filled in.
Bear Creek is now confined to the small channel area between the Bear Creek Parkway and 520 and of course it floods during a major storm event -- there is almost no place left for the water to go. And the WDOT wants to reduce this channel by another 30 feet! (Oddly, their document shows the new flyover bridge in a 100-year floodplain that doesn't appear in the 1998 map. Did anyone even look at this document before signing off on it?!)
It seems to me that the WDOT is using hopelessly outdated maps and data to justify their claim that the 520 widening will have no adverse effects on the stream, flooding and salmon habitat. "
Susan Wilkins, Redmond citizen geologist
Susan Wilkins, Redmond citizen geologist
How do you feel? Any thoughts?
Excellent article about " No Place for water to go". I wonder if anyone knows or even cares that there is a 100 year old dam in Redmond Watershed that flows into Seidel Creek ( tributary to Bear Creek) that FEMA has been telling the City of Redmond to tear down for years.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine the potential property damage and risk to human activity if that dam had let go in the last big rain storm on December 3, 2007. We too are very concerned about WSDOT's lack of awareness of the importance of the current Bear Creek buffer along 520.
PS: I grew-up in NE Ohio, almost went to Denison, but instead opted to go to Cornell University in 1966, and get an engineering degree.
Thomas E Pressler, PE
Pressler Engineering, Inc.
18702 North Creek Parkway, Suite 213
Bothell, Wa 98011
(425) 485-3002
(425) 485-8114 (FAX)
"Excellence in Mechanical Engineering"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxI want to acknowledge the receipt of your e-mail to the Washington
ReplyDeleteState Department of Fish and Wildlife Commissioners dated December 6,
2007, regarding the proposed plan by the Washington State Department of
Transportation (WSDOT) to widen State Route 520 in the vicinity of Bear
Creek in the City of Redmond. As the Region 4 Habitat Program Manager,
the Commissioners have asked that I respond with more local knowledge of
the project.
It is acknowledged that the proposed highway widening project will
encroach into the riparian buffer of Bear Creek. This may result in
detrimental impacts to the stream and the associated flood plain as
described in your e-mail to the project engineer. I want to assure you
that these impacts are being thoroughly evaluated by the Multi-Agency
Permit Team (MAPT) set up specifically to coordinate permitting of WSDOT
highway projects. Any impacts to the flood plain capacity or shoreline
buffer will be addressed in this venue.
WDFW is charged with the enforcement of the Hydraulic Code (WAC
220-110) specifically intended to protect fish life. Only those aspects
of a project that may impact the bed or flow of the stream are regulated
under the Code. In the SR 520 widening project this includes only the
widening of the existing Sammamish River bridge and two new ramp
bridges. The riparian buffers are regulated entirely by the local
jurisdiction, the city of Redmond.
It is also noted that the relocation of Bear Creek to include natural
meanders would be an acceptable way to assure effective buffers and
productive fish habitat. As you pointed out, this alternative was
pulled due to lack of funding. Unfortunately the WDFW does not have
funding sources for this type of project.
I do want to point out that the Salmon Recovery Funding Board does
manage the distribution of state and federal funds for recovery
projects. The local Lead Entity is responsible for developing and
prioritizing the projects to be funded. Unfortunately these projects
have already been prioritized for the next several years. You may want
to begin now to work with the WDFW Watershed Steward, Kirk Lakey
(lakeykal@dfw.wa.gov) to develop and submit this project for future
consideration.
Your concern for public resources and suggested solutions is greatly
appreciated. Hopefully we can work together to assure this project does
not have long lasting detrimental impacts.
Respectfully,
David W. Brock
Region 4 Habitat Program Manager
16018 Mill Creek Blvd
Mill Creek, WA 98012
425-775-1311 #114
brockdwb@dfw.wa.gov
We are in a bit of a lull on the SR520 issue. I think Gov. Gregoire’s press conference may actually slow down planning for a bit as it proposes a “bridge-lite” solution that doesn’t provide the capacity, growth potential or safety that have been the documented problems in the past. Her intervention also raised the possibility of re-inventing other wheels.
ReplyDelete