Meadowdale Beach and Estuary Restoration Project

PROJECT SCHEDULE/PARK CLOSURE INFORMATION*

  • Advertise, Bid, Award (Current Phase): The project advertised for bid on February 2, 2021 with tentative bid opening scheduled for March 9, 2021.
  • Tentative Construction Period: Mid April 2021 to fall 2022 (Subject to pending BNSF Underpass Agreement execution with the County)*
  • Park Closure: There will be no beach/ADA access during construction.

    • Hike-in access only from main parking lot (156th St SW) to approx. location of Ranger Residence with no portable restroom facilities available along or at the bottom of the trail; 

    • Limited vehicle access (County, Contractor, and Resident) and no walk-in access from 75th Place West; 

    • No kayak beach camping will be permitted during construction.

    • If construction is suspended during extended periods of unsuitable weather or other conditions, temporary public access may be provided.

*BNSF has been collaborating on this project since 2014 and has indicated intentions for 2021 railroad bridge construction, delays of the Underpass Agreement execution, BNSF operations, BNSF’s restriction of on-track construction during 4th quarter of any year, fish windows, inclement weather or unforeseen construction issues could delay either start of construction by County awarded contractor or BNSF; or could result in temporary shutdown of construction until 2022. Park Closure information to be updated upon any of those circumstances.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This project entails removing 128 linear feet of railroad embankment (shoreline armoring) along with the 6-foot wide culvert and installing a 5-span railroad bridge with a 100-foot opening to address ADA accessibility, beach access, fish passage, flooding, sediment delivery and maintenance issues associated with the undersized culvert. This project will restore a historic (pre-railroad) 1.3-acre estuary that will provide essential rearing habitat for ESA-listed Chinook (threatened), Chum, and Coho salmon as well as Cutthroat trout; and restore nearshore processes key to Puget Sound recovery. Additional habitat and stream enhancement will occur upstream of the estuary and a second footbridge will be installed to provide viewing platform of fish migration. Recreation components include a foot-wash, and picnic and bench viewpoints of the beach, estuary and Lund’s Gulch Creek. The existing portable restroom enclosure will be relocated out of the floodway and the ADA-parking will be brought up to current standards.

Lunds Gulch Creek Culvert under BNSF Railroad

Meadowdale Tunnel

STATUS

  • Plans, Specifications and Cost Estimate – 100%

  • Permits Received: 

    • Army Corps of Engineers Nationwide Permits 14, 27, 42;

    • Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Hydraulic Project Application;

    • Shoreline Substantial Development; 

    • Shoreline Conditional Use, Snohomish County Flood Hazard, Land Disturbance Activity Permit;

    • Commercial Building Permit for Restroom Enclosure; 

    • Commercial Building Permit for Pedestrian Bridge Abutments; 

    • Critical Area Site Plans (3) recorded

  • SEPA: Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) issued: May 29, 2019

  • NEPA: Categorical Exemption (Federal Rail Admin) issued March 2, 2020; Under review by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

  • Permits Needed Prior to Construction Outstanding: Washington State Department of Ecology Construction Stormwater Permit

  • Permits to be Issued During Construction: City of Edmonds Haul Permit/Right-of-way Use Permit; Electrical permit; Demolition permit; Commercial Building Permit for Pedestrian Bridge

  • BNSF/County Underpass Agreement – Priority status with BNSF Legal Team, anticipated execution date March 2021

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PROJECT CONSTRUCTION COST AND FUNDING

  • Estimated total construction cost: $15M
  • Total grants received: $6,954,000
    • Washington Wildlife Recreation Program (WWRP) - Water Access Grant - $604,000
    • Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account (ALEA) Grant - $500,000
    • Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) Grant - $800,000
    • Estuary Salmon and Restoration Program Grant - $1,000,000
    • Federal Rail Administration Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety Improvement (FRA/CRISI) Grant - $3,500,000
    • National Oceanic Atmosphere Administration Coastal and Marine Habitat Restoration Grant - $300,000
    • Restore America’s Estuaries National Estuary Program – Coastal Watershed Grant (NEP/CWG) - $250,000
    • County (REET/Councilmatic Bonds) - $8.046M


PRESENTATIONS

  • Presented project update to Snohomish County Marine Resources Committee June 19, 2019
  • Construction Haul Route Public Meeting – February 20, 2019
  • Snohomish County Marine Resources Committee May 20, 2020
  • Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council September 24, 2020 

RELATED ARTICLES

Related Documents

  1. Haul Route Public Comment_County Responses
  2. Haul Route Presentation _2-20-19
  3. Haul Route Presentation Talking Points
  4. Illustrative Site Plan_60percent (PDF)
  5. Estuary Rendering (JPG)
  6. Critical Areas (PDF)
  7. Benefit-Cost Analysis Summary (PDF)
  8. Benefit-Cost Analysis Report (PDF)
  9. Railroad Bridge Rendering (PDF)
  10. Prelim Design Rpt_SRFB2015Grant (PDF)
  11. Meadwodale_Park_Habitat_100percent
  12. MeadowdaleRailroad_Structural_100percent
  13. MeadowdaleRailroad_Civil_100percent

Contact Person: 

Logan Daniels, P.E., Parks Engineer
Snohomish County Parks & Recreation
Email Logan Daniels
Phone: 425-388-6619