|
The existing 1960s-era Algona Transfer Station is one of the oldest, busiest transfer stations in the King County solid waste system. The station is located on a small site and offers only limited recycling services.
The new station will provide comprehensive recycling services, hazardous waste disposal, sustainable building features, offsite wetlands improvements, on-site creek enhancements, public art, and other community benefits.
.
 .
Work on your new recycling and transfer station is underway
In May 2023, King County broke ground on a state-of-the-art recycling and transfer station just north of the existing Algona Transfer Station. The new station will replace the existing station and is scheduled to open to the public as soon as summer 2026.
Upcoming work in 2024 includes construction on West Valley Highway South
 |
|
Improvements to West Valley Highway South: Work is expected to begin as early as late May and last through October.
Work may include temporary lane closures and detours. We will communicate details as construction nears.
New culvert under West Valley Highway South: Work is expected to begin and finish in July.
Upgraded sewer line on 11th Avenue North: Work is expected to begin as early as July and last through September.
|
Early site work completed
Construction crews have completed initial work to survey and prepare the
site, including:
- Site retaining walls to maintain soil integrity and prevent erosion.
- One of three stormwater retention vaults to manage stormwater runoff.
- Habitat improvements including a new stream channel and uncovering
a tributary of Algona Creek that was previously piped underground.
- View real-time images of construction progress at http://bit.ly/SCRTS2024.
 King County staff and project partners during the construction kickoff for the South County Recycling and Transfer Station.
.
King County will work with the community to minimize construction impacts
 |
|
During construction, people who live, work, and travel in the area can expect occasional noise, vibration, and dust near the construction site. Crews will make every effort to limit the effects of construction on the surrounding community.
King County is committed to being a good neighbor and will work directly with the community throughout the project to minimize impacts whenever possible. Residents can expect:
Construction updates and news via notices, project emails, and the project website.
1:1 problem-solving with residents impacted by construction. |
.
Recycling made easier, powered by the sun
The new recycling and transfer station will make it safer and easier to recycle appliances, glass, metals, plastics, wood, and paper; compost yard waste; and dispose of hazardous materials.
The new station is designed to meet Living Building Challenge standards, creating a positive impact on the human and natural systems that interact with it. The green design includes solar panels that will provide nearly half of the energy needed to operate the
station, electric vehicle charging stations, and habitat enhancements. We will also improve nearby green spaces, plant trees and establish a forested buffer zone around a newly uncovered tributary of Algona Creek.
A rendering of the new station, which will include solar panels, sustainable construction materials, natural light, and drought-tolerant plantings.
.
Creating a positive impact with modern design
The new station’s modern design elements will address many challenges that are encountered at older stations.
Controlling Air and Odor
The walled-in structure will contain air flow and hold in odors, while misters will additionally suppress odors and dust.
Natural Lighting
Windows and roofing will use transparent materials to let in natural light and reduce electricity costs.
Containing Sound
The enclosed structure, sound absorbing landscape, and distance surrounding the facility will reduce noise from equipment and vehicles.
Mitigating Traffic
Trash compacting equipment will allow more waste to be hauled in fewer trips, reducing the number of trucks coming to and from the site; additional driving lanes will allow vehicles to move through the site more quickly.
Investing in Meaningful Community Art
Artists Tyson Simmons, Keith Stevenson, and Sam Obrovac of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe’s Culture Division will create a signature sculpture carved from trees felled on the project site as well as concrete patterning and aluminum medallions for the entry retaining wall. Both artworks reference Muckleshoot stories of air, land, and sea, representing ancestral teachings about the interconnectedness of the world around us.
 .
Evan Blackwell, visual artist and faculty member at Evergreen State College, is developing a body of work informed by engagement activities and materials sourced during a multi-year residency. Select pieces will be installed in the lobby of the South County Recycling and Transfer Station administrative building and in the surrounding landscape.
|
