The massive project to improve water quality in the Ship Canal started this week in Ballard.
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is building a 2.7-mile tunnel along the Ship Canal that will hold up to 29 million gallons of stormwater and sewage during heavy rains, which will then be diverted to King County’s West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Work began at SPU’s Ballard Operations Building site (5300 24th Ave NW) this week with crews mobilizing equipment, building temporary fencing and delivering construction materials to the site. Crews also set up temporary environmental control measure to protect trees (photo below), performed construction surveys, and did soil sampling around the site.
Upcoming work includes digging pits at NW 54th St and 24th Ave NW and installing a new water main extension under the Ballard Terminal Railroad. They’re digging trenches along the railroad to avoid disrupting railroad operations, and will place a silt boom or curtain) to protect water quality to the Ship Canal and Salmon Bay during construction. And soon, a barge will be arriving on site to prepare for pile installation for a new pier.
Crews will be out working Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm. During construction, you can expect restricted parking along 24th Ave NW, and extra construction noise, dust and vibrations in the area.
The project is anticipated to wrap up next summer — here’s a PDF for background information and project details.