This is to give notice that The City of Lakewood under 24 CFR Part 58 has conducted an evaluation as required by Executive order 11988 and/or 11990 to determine the potential affect that its activity in the floodplain will have on the human environment for the following proposed action under US Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Program (Grant No: B-17-MC-53-0016 and B-18-MC-53-0016).
The 123rd Street Improvement Project includes roadway improvements along 123rd St. SW between Bridgeport Way and 47th Ave. SW.
Improvements include: The addition of curbs, sidewalks, landscaped planter strips, storm drainage, illumination, realigned roadway south of the existing intersection at Bridgeport Way south of the existing intersection, and a new left turn pocket for southbound Bridgeport Way traffic turning onto 123rd Street.
The majority of the work at the sites will include:
- Paving over existing grade
- Construction of a new intersection and
- Roadside ditch construction for surface water infiltration.
The project will at least maintain the baseline condition of floodplain function, and parallel stream-side ditches will help surface water and stormwater infiltrate into the ground prior to entering Clover Creek.
The estimated acreage of floodplain that will be converted from compacted gravel to pavement is 0.44 acres. There will be no increase in fill volume and, to achieve level road grade, a small amount of previously placed fill will be removed.
The proposed project(s) is located on 123rd Street east of Bridgeport Way and west of 47tg Ave SW. in the 100-year floodplain. The City of Lakewood has identified and evaluated practicable alternatives to locating the action in the floodplain and the potential impacts on the floodplain from the proposed action, as required by Executive Order 11988 and/or 11990, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands.
The City of Lakewood has considered the following alternatives and mitigation measures to be taken to minimize adverse impacts and to restore and preserve natural and beneficial values:
i) Dozens of residents within apartments would not have an alternate route out of their living area if a particular aging bridge over the interstate is damaged or closed; this would also prohibit access by emergency vehicles to the properties. This includes the potential re-routing of school bus routes that would require dropping minors farther away from their residence unsupervised. Maintaining the same alignment at the west egress of 123rd Avenue to Bridgeport would continue to be a traffic nuisance and safety pedestrian hazard for the lower-income housing residents utilizing that access point.
ii) Alternatives considered were:
- a) No-Action;
- b) A raised bed road above the 100-year flood plain elevation; and
- c) Relocating the proposed access road to the most northern portion of the floodplain.
No Action would allow the safety issues to persist. If the road was built up, the new footprint would introduce impacts to floodplain capacity. A re-location would encroach on adjacent properties and interfere with the function of a seasonal stormwater pond where apartments and vacant lots drain into via overflow or storm drains.
iii) The new road surface elevation practically mimics the existing grade of a gravel road; therefore since there is no increase in fill volume, the floodplain capacity remains the same. Road-adjacent constructed ditches will provide opportunities for surface water groundwater infiltration and culverts placed under the grade allow the floodplain to stay connected to clover Creek.
This is a low energy site and past large storm events have not attained the levels needed to reach the location of the proposed road grade – this is likely due to the increased capacity of Clover Creek which has had larger bridge spans and culverts replaced in recent years to accommodate higher flood flows. All construction activity best management practices required for grading and paving projects will be adhered to and local agency floodplain requirements will be met.
The City of Lakewood has re-evaluated the alternatives to building in the floodplain and has determined that it has no practicable alternative. Environmental files that document compliance with steps 3 through 6 of Executive order 11988 and/or 11990 are available for public inspection, review and copying upon request at the times and location delineated in the last paragraph of this notice for receipt of comments.
This activity will have no significant impact on the environment for the following reasons:
The project is located in a FEMA-designated AE floodplain, with a base flood elevation of 275 feet. The existing road and apartment complexes are within the same floodplain, and are covered by the City of Lakewood/Pierce County’s participation in the National Flood Insurance Act. Despite being included in the floodplain, there has been no historical or anecdotal evidence of flooding in the area. Preliminary reviews of hydrologic data indicate that large flood (200 – 300 cfs) events stay contained within the banks of Clover Creek. Both the FEMA and NOAA historical flood databases show no flooding in the area dating back to 1950. Additionally, the project will at least maintain baseline condition of floodplain function.
There are three primary purposes for this notice.
- First, people who may be affected by activities in floodplains and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas.
- Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information about floodplains can facilitate and enhance federal efforts to reduce the risks associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas.
- Third, as a matter of fairness, when the federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in floodplains, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk.
Written comments on this matter must be received by City of Lakewood, Community Development Department at the following address on or before March 22, 2019:
Community Development Department
Attn: M. David Bugher, Assistant City Manager for Community and Economic Development
6000 Main Street SW
Lakewood, WA 98499-5027
Phone: (253) 589-2489
A full description of the project may also be reviewed at the Public Works Engineering Department between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Lakewood City Hall, 6000 Main Street SW Lakewood, WA 98499.
Comments may also be submitted via email to DBugher@cityoflakewood.us.
Chas. Ames says
Thank you, Dave.
It is encouraging to see that Springbrook is never far from Lakewood’s plans.