Help the City Name the New Walking Trail!

On September 5, 2017, a newly constructed ½- mile long walking trail around the edge of the 80th Street Regional Stormwater Holding Basin will be open to the public. Members of the South Tacoma Neighborhood Council have suggested the trail be named after local community activist Mr. Gwilymn (Skip) Vaughn who passed away last year. What do you think? Please share your thoughts on the naming of the trail with Shauna Hansen at shansen2@cityoftacoma.org.

80th Street Holding Basin

The 80th Street Holding Basin was expanded to increase stormwater capacity and enhanced to provide walkable public greenspace.  Elements of the Holding Basin include: a stormwater detention facility, public trail, sidewalk improvements, and landscape improvements.  Also 56 acre feet of storage was created in this regional basin by removing 100,000 cubic yards of dirt and now holds a total of approximately 300,000 acre feet of stormwater.  The expansion accelerates environmental improvements in Flett Creek by reducing peak stormwater flows that erode the creek bed.

City's Payment In-Lieu-of Construction Program

Flett Creek Basin

Stormwater runoff from the eastside of the Flett Creek watershed is conveyed to Wapato Lake, to the Hosmer Holding Basins, and then Wards Lake before entering this facility. More than 3,000 acres drain through here before being conveyed to the Flett Creek Holding basins downstream. The Flett Creek watershed is more than 7,000 acres and is predominately residential with localized areas of commercial and light industrial. Flett Creek is located within the City of Lakewood and flows into Chambers Creek.

Gravel Stormwater Detention Facility

Runoff from the east portion of the Flett Creek Watershed is conveyed to Wapato Lake, then to a stormwater holding basin.  From the holding basin, runoff flows through Wards Lake before entering the Gravel Detention Facility.  3,138 acres from the City of Tacoma contributes to this facility.

Water from the Gravel Detention Facility is conveyed into four stormwater holding basins before being pumped into the Flett Creek wetlands.  Flett Creek flows into Chambers Creek, a salmonid-bearing stream, which discharges into Chambers Bay and then to the Tacoma Narrows. 

Facility Elements

Stormwater Detention

The City of Tacoma's Flett Creek stormwater basin, covering 7,153 acres, is predominately residential development with commercial and light industrial uses in localized areas.  Flett Creek itself is located within the City of Lakewood and flows into Chambers Creek. 

Public Trail

About a half-mile of gravel trail will be added along the eastern edge of the lake-like detention facility.  This trail will be five feet wide, with a gentle maximum slope of five percent (ADA accessible).  The trail will have a four foot tall chain-link fence on the downhill side. 

80th Street Sidewalk Improvements

Over 1,000 feet of sidewalk with street trees will be added along 80th Street connecting the facility to Oak Tree Park.

Landscape Improvements

Drought tolerant, low-maintenance landscaping at the entrances will welcome pedestrians into the facility.  A mixture of ornamental and native grasses and trees will provide open views into the site, while accommodating for shade and shelter during the summer heat.

Existing native trees adjacent to the detention facility were preserved and new wildflower prairie meadows have been seeded along the trail.

Project Cost and Funding Sources

A $3 million grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology helped to pay for the facility, along with funding from the City of Tacoma Surface Water Utility.

Project Timeline

Community Involvement and Education

 A public meeting was held on April 19, 2016, at the Tacoma Central Presbyterian Church, 8001 S. Pine Street.

Additional Information

The City of Tacoma is managing the project. Contact Project Manager Jessica Knickerbocker with questions or concerns at (253) 502-2119 or by email.