City of Kenmore, Kiewit/General/Manson, Lakepointe, Inc. and Pioneer Towing, Co. Propose Agreement on SR 520 Bridge Demolition

City of Kenmore, Kiewit/General/Manson, Lakepointe, Inc. and Pioneer Towing, Co. Propose Agreement on SR 520 Bridge Demolition

The Kenmore City Council is expected to take action on May 23, 2016 on a proposed settlement agreement with Kiewit/General/Manson, Lakepointe, Inc. and Pioneer Towing, Co. to prevent the demolition of the old SR 520 bridge in Kenmore. 

The proposed agreement addresses the concerns of the City of Kenmore and its residents around noise, dust and pollution associated with the original demolition plan KGM presented to the Kenmore City Council on March 14, 2016. 

This Agreement does not allow recycling or rubblization of the old SR 520 bridge in Kenmore, and it requires the contractor and the property owner to comply with environmental requirements.  The proposed agreement does allow KGM to transport broken down bridge material through Kenmore as long as they meet conditions in the proposed agreement and are in compliance with federal, state, and local laws.

KGM’s earlier plan to break down/rubblize bridge material once it arrived in Kenmore by barge was not allowed by City code and raised concerns about noise, dust and environmental risks.  The City Manager communicated the denial decision to KGM and WSDOT in late March 2016.

KGM and Lakepointe, Inc/Pioneer Towing Co. (the property owner) challenged the denial decision to King County Superior Court.  The City challenged the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and Federal High Way Administration (FHWA) NEPA/ SEPA Environmental Reevaluation Document that was issued on April 20, 2016, over a month after KGM briefed the City Council on their plan.  The City also submitted comments to the Department of Ecology on KGM’s application for a Construction Stormwater Permit.

The proposed agreement changes the KGM plan. Several key components of the settlement agreement as proposed by the City are as follows:

• Bridge demolition, including breaking down or rubblizing concrete will not occur in Kenmore. Such activity will occur on barges located south of Kenmore
• The material will be transported in the barges to Kenmore, where it will be directly transferred to trucks and transported out of Kenmore
• At no time will the concrete material touch the ground in Kenmore and trucks leaving the Kenmore property will have covered loads 

The proposed agreement states that activity will be subject to restrictions such as:

• Restricted work hours and noise monitoring, including reduced noise back up signals on equipment used to transfer the material from barges
• Dust control measures
• Truck weight limits and one designated haul route through Kenmore
• Barging Best Management practices that WSDOT had previously imposed on KGM to reduce sediment displacement in the Kenmore Navigation Channel
• Monitoring of environmental practices and agreement conditions

Approximately 25% of the old SR 520 bridge structure will be transported through Kenmore. About 75% of the structure, including pontoons and road surface has or will be transported via sites other than Kenmore.   Transport activity in Kenmore is expected to occur between June and December 2016.

This agreement allows KGM to perform tasks of the SR 520 Bridge project contract in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.  In 2014, the City changed the Lakepointe property zoning to exclude industrial uses.  However, State law allows existing industrial uses on the site to remain as long as they are not expanded; nor can new industrial uses be initiated.  The 2014 zoning changes encourage the long -planned redevelopment of the Lakepointe property into office, retail, residential and public amenity uses.

The Lakepointe property is the last remaining major redevelopment opportunity on Lake Washington, and the City looks forward to its redevelopment as envisioned by the Kenmore Comprehensive Plan and the community.  Lakepointe’s exceptional location has saved the SR 520 bridge contractor and Washington taxpayers substantial costs in the construction of the new SR 520 Bridge, as KGM fabricated anchors and bridge deck components on the site.  The City of Kenmore and its citizens have not received sales tax or other revenue related to the SR 520 Bridge project work that has been conducted in Kenmore since 2012. 

The City of Kenmore continues its track record of supporting regional transportation improvements and initiatives as long as the health, safety, and quality of life of its residents, businesses and visitors are protected, and the City’s laws are followed.