Solid Waste Management Drainage & Traffic Safety Improvements
Overview
The City of Tacoma’s Environmental Services Department completed a project at the Tacoma Recovery and Transfer Center to increase safety for employees and solid waste customers. Safety improvements included rerouting traffic patterns, improved signage and lighting, and resurfacing of the employee parking lot. In addition to addressing safety concerns, this project helps protect the environment through the installation of surface water treatment devices, including a landscaped bioretention swale.
Concerns
The Scale House intersection at the Solid Waste Management facility has a high volume of vehicle and pedestrian traffic moving in several directions – that used to confuse drivers and created increased potential for accidents. The previous employee parking lot, which is located adjacent to this intersection, is built on a portion of the City’s decommissioned landfill. Due to the landfill ground settling over time, the parking lot no longer provided adequate storm drainage. This led to puddling and ice in the winter, creating a hazard to employees and visitors.
Solutions
By eliminating several dangerous entrances and exits, newer and safer vehicle routes were created. A stormwater bioretention swale was installed near the parking lot, which allowed for safer redirects of traffic flow and reduced stormwater pollution concerns. New flashing crosswalk beacons were put in place and parking lot lights were installed to increase pedestrian visibility. Other improvements include new turnaround roads and traffic redirects, as well as installation of several electric vehicle charging stations for both public and employee use.
Project Funding
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Construction Funding
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Total Amount
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Solid Waste Management
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$2,025,223.86
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*Costs as of March 2019. Including sales tax
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Project Schedule
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Task
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Timeframe
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Design Phase
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January 2018 - February 2019
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SWM Design Meetings
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2018 - 2019
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Employee Workshops
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August 2018
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Advertise and Award
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March - June 2019
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Employee Information Sessions
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May 2019
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Built Temporary Employee Lot & Move in
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May - June 2019
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Construction
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July 2019 - October 2019
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Employees Moved into New Parking Lot
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October 2019
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Questions
The City of Tacoma is managing the project. For questions or concerns regarding the Solid Waste Management Drainage and Traffic Safety Improvement Project, please contact Amy Anderson, City Project Manager, at (253) 591-5017.
For More Information
Please see our Solid Waste Management Drainage and Traffic Safety Improvement Project handout for more details.