Ship Canal Water Quality Project update 12/14/2023

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FOG Clogs! Fats, Oils, Grease, and Holiday Waste

Fats Oils Grease Graphic

Turn your holiday cleanup into a party for our water! While we're enjoying festive feasts, let's be mindful of how we handle our holiday food waste, especially those sneaky (and delicious) fats, oils, and greases (FOG). Tossing them down the drain might seem like a convenient move, but doing so invites trouble in the sewer. Imagine FOG as the unruly guests who refuse to leave – they can clog pipes, cause spills, and create fatbergs (a colossal accumulation of FOG and non-biodegradable items in sewer systems) that no one wants to deal with.

Instead of pouring your holiday food waste down the sink, let FOG cool and solidify in a container, then toss it in the trash. Show pipes and waterways some love by properly disposing of these party crashers. By doing so, we can keep the pipes flowing, prevent environmental hardships, and ensure our aquatic friends have a good time too! Cheers to a cleaner, greener holiday season!

This will be the last listserv of 2023. Worry not, we will return in January. Any localized updates will be sent your way in the meantime. Have a wonderful New Year!

Visit our project website to learn more about the project and check out our Flickr albums for recent construction photos.


Ballard

Crews continue to dismantle, clean, and remove the equipment that was needed to build the tunnel.

You should anticipate:

  • Nighttime truck movements may be necessary to remove large equipment over the next few months
  • Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site

Crews continue working two shifts, 20 hours a day, five days a week. Some work may occur on Saturdays.

East Ballard

Crews are now replacing a segment of water main in NW 45th St between 11th Ave NW and 9th Ave NW. 11th Ave NW has been opened to two-way traffic and will remain open through January 1. Following the new year, the one lane traffic configuration will return. You should anticipate:

  • Heavy equipment in the area
  • Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site

Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 pm. Night and weekend work may occur.

Fremont

Crews continue building the permanent structure inside the shaft and installing conveyance pipes that connect to the storage tunnel. They also continue building the large underground mechanical and electrical vault.

Crews continue work replacing a water main segment in Leary Way NW.

Local closures and detours:

  • Leary Way NW will remain reduced to one lane each direction through mid-January for water main work. Lane closures will shift at times, but one lane will always be open in each direction.
  • The water main work will also require short-term overnight work to connect the new water main to the existing system. Customers will be notified of any water service interruptions.
  • On 2nd Ave NW, between Leary Way NW and NW Canal St, the street remains closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic through mid-2024
  • NW Canal St is open to two-way traffic during this closure
  • NW 36th St, between Leary Way NW and 3rd Ave NW, remains closed through mid-2024
  • Pedestrian detours are in place on Leary Way NW; please follow all detour guidance

You should anticipate:

  • Truck traffic on Leary Way NW as trucks bring materials and equipment to and from the site
  • Concrete trucks entering and leaving the site
  • Fans running during work hours to provide fresh air to crews working in the shaft
  • Heavy equipment in the area
  • Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site

Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 pm; and some Saturdays from 9 am to 6 pm.

Wallingford

Our contractor is continuing installation of the conveyance pipe on N 35th St between Interlake Ave N and Stone Way N. Another crew began work on the conveyance pipe between Interlake Ave N and the Wallingford shaft site. The crosswalk across N 35th St is on the west side of the intersection. Crews also continue to build the permanent walls inside the shaft and the above-ground electrical building.

We understand that traffic is a challenge in this area. We continue to keep an eye on neighborhood impacts and add new signage for detours and safe access to businesses. Businesses are open and ready to serve the community. Please support local businesses and follow all detour signage and safety directions when traveling through the work area.

See our detour maps for cyclists and pedestrians.

N 35th St closure vehicle detour:

  • Check out the vehicle detour map
  • Traffic is detoured via N 40th St and Wallingford Ave N, and via Woodland Park Ave N and N 34th St
  • The all-way stops remain in place at Woodland Park Ave N at both N 35th St and N 34th St, and at Wallingford Ave N and N 35th St
  • Stone Way N between N 34th St and N 35th St remains closed to vehicles and bicycles
  • Please adhere to Road Closed, Local Access Only, and Traffic Revision Ahead signage and follow marked detour routes

N 35th St closure bicycle detour

  • Check out the bicycle and pedestrian detour map
  • Bicyclists are detoured to the west on N 35th St and to the south on Woodland Park Ave N
  • Access to the Burke Gilman Trail is on N 34th St at Stone Way N and at Troll Ave N
  • Please dismount and walk if you use the sidewalk

You should anticipate:

  • N 35th St between Stone Way N and Interlake Ave N and the intersection of N 35th St and Stone Way N are closed
  • Trucks coming in and out of the site
  • Heavy equipment in the area
  • Vibrations typical of a construction site
  • Truck traffic from the North Transfer Station hauling waste away from the station between 5:30 pm and 7:30 am, 7 days a week. Flaggers will be on N 34th St from 6 am to 8 am and from 5 pm to 7 pm to help control traffic and direct trucks out of the gate.
  • Road and periodic sidewalk closures
  • Temporary bus stops on Woodland Park Ave N are relocated; Metro bus routes 31, 32, and northbound 62 detoured. Southbound bus route 62 is unchanged. Please view service advisories on King County Metro’s website.

Regular work hours at the Wallingford shaft site will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 pm. Crews also work a second shift in the tunnel and there will be occasional surface work at the shaft site.

Regular work hours on N 35th St and Stone Way N will be Monday through Friday, 7 am to 6 pm. Night and weekend work may occur periodically.

North Transfer Station hauling hours reminder

A reminder that at the North Transfer Station, crews will continue temporarily hauling waste away from the south side of the station on N 34th St, between 5:30 pm and 7:30 am, 7 days a week. Flaggers are staged at key intersections to help control traffic so trucks can make turns. North Transfer Station operation hours will remain the same.

Queen Anne

Crews continue to build walls for the permanent structure as well as pipes and utilities inside the shaft. Crews are also installing other utilities at the site.

Local closures and detours:

  • Localized Ship Canal Trail detour at least through mid-2024 (see map). Please continue to remain alert when moving through this area.
  • West Ewing Mini Park parking closure through mid-2024

You should anticipate:

  • Trucks coming in and out of the site
  • Heavy equipment in the area
  • Noise and vibrations typical of a construction site

Regular work hours will be Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 6 pm. Night and weekend work may occur.


Construction graphic

 

 

Construction Safety is Everyone’s Job

Check out some top safety tips at

www.seattle.gov/utilities/constructionsafety


Contact Us

Please email SPU_ShipCanalProject@seattle.gov with questions or comments or call our hotline at (206) 701-0233. You can also find information online at spushipcanal.participate.online.

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