Construction starts near Fred Meyer for Ship Canal water quality improvement project

Meghan Walker Ballard

The project to improve water quality in the Ship Canal has expanded construction to four neighborhoods, including east Ballard near Fred Meyer.

The Ship Canal Water Quality Project, headed up by Seattle Public Utilities, is a multiyear undertaking to build a 2.7-mile long stormwater tunnel between Wallingford and Ballard. Crews have been working at the main Ballard site (24th and Shilshole) since last year, but have now expanded their work into all project areas; east Ballard, Fremont, Queen Anne, and Wallingford.

Earlier this week, SPU moved crews and equipment to the intersection of 11th Ave NW and NW 45th St, where they’ll be preparing the site for a 60-foot-deep, 10-foot-diameter vertical shaft to carry sewage to the new storage tunnel.

Map showing our East Ballard construction site limits on NW 45th St and 11th Ave NW

Initial work at the site will include minor street paving at  the southwest corner of 11th Ave NW and NW 45th St. Crews will start building temporary bike lanes on the north side of NW 45th St for the upcoming Burke-Gilman Trail detour, which will begin sometime in the coming weeks.

SPU says over the next few weeks, residents and businesses should anticipate the following:

  • Closures of NW 45th St between 9th and 11th Avenues NW during working hours to allow for construction of the trail detour. Traffic will be detoured onto NW 46th St. Please pay attention to flaggers on site.
  • Intermittent closures of the southbound shoulder of 11th Ave NW south of NW 45th St. Two-way traffic will be maintained. Please pay attention to flaggers on site.
  • Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site.

Meanwhile, work to construct the slurry wall at Shilshole and 24th continues. SPU says they expect to be working on the wall for the rest of the summer, and to expect the following in the area:

  • Very heavy truck traffic on Shilshole Ave NW and 24th Ave NW; please pay attention to flaggers.
  • Parking restrictions along the east side of 24th Ave NW so construction trucks can exit the work site.
  • Noise and vibrations related to excavation and concrete pours.

To learn more about the scope of the project and details about impacts to each neighborhood, visit SPU’s project website.

7 thoughts to “Construction starts near Fred Meyer for Ship Canal water quality improvement project”

  2. On that slurry wall, I noticed that Salmon Bay Sand & Gravel weren’t pouring the cement on a project in their own front yard! Imagine the carbon footprint reduction if the cement trucks just had to drive a block instead of from who knows where…

    2. Imagine if my neighbors sold 1 of their 4 autos, and or their boat. Imagine if you lead by selling your cars. Just imagine………..Our autos are cleaner and newer than ever. The testing stations all CLOSED. I’d hide though, under your bed.

    3. Likely the general contractor took the lowest bid for a concrete sub, which Salmon Bay couldn’t beat. Could also be that the job was out of scope for Salmon Bay.

      1. Yeah, all…well…truth. LOL But it still is one of those things i wish could be factored into the decision. Like a carbon credit assigned to Salmon Bay’s bid for not having to drive as far as the competitor. But if it’s out of scope, it’s out of scope.

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