City testing soil on 14th Ave NW for raingardens

Chain link fences are up around two center medians on 14th Ave NW so the city can test the soil.

One of the features proposed for the 14th Ave NW Park Boulevard project is raingardens. The work being done this week is to sample the soil to check for hazardous materials and see how permeable the soil is so the swales are placed in the right location, Dewey Potter with Seattle Parks and Recreation tells us. “The swales will treat water from the street, will infiltrate water so that it doesn’t have to go into the storm water system (thus providing slight relief for the stormwater system),” Potter emails.

The “Salmon Ladder” scheme that has been selected for further study.

Last month more than 50 people gathered to learn more and talk about the project. Three schemes were presented by Mithun, the design consultant.

The second community meeting will be Wednesday, March 7th from 7 to 9 p.m. at St. Alphonsus Parish School (5816 15th Ave NW). More on the park project can be found here.