HomeMy WebLinkAboutAppendix T - Social DR
I-405, Renton Nickel Improvement Project, I-5 to SR 169
SOCIAL DISCIPLINE REPORT
October 2005
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SOCIAL DISCIPLINE REPORT
I-405, Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Prepared for
Washington State Department of Transportation
Urban Corridors Office
And
Federal Highway Administration
Prepared by
Paul S. Korsmo, DMJM Harris
October 20, 2005
Title VI
WSDOT ensures full compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by
prohibiting discrimination against any person on the basis of race, color, national
origin or sex in the provision of benefits and services resulting from its federally
assisted programs and activities. For questions regarding WSDOT's Title VI
Program, you may contact the Department's Title VI Coordinator at 360. 705.7098.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information
If you would like copies of this document in an alternate format—large print, Braille,
cassette tape, or on computer disk, please call 360.705.7097. Persons who are deaf
or hard of hearing, please call the Washington State Telecommunications Relay
Service, or Tele-Braille at 7-1-1, Voice 1.800.833.6384, and ask to be connected to
360.705.7097.
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report i
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T ABLE OF C ONTENTS
Glossary.............................................................................................................................................................................iv
Acronyms and Abbreviations Used in this Report ........................................................................................................vi
Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................1
What is the Renton Nickel Improvement Project? ...........................................................................................................1
What is the No Build Alternative?................................................................................................................................2
What is the Build Alternative?.....................................................................................................................................2
How will stormwater from the project be managed? .................................................................................................12
What environmental and utilities issues influenced the project design and what was done to avoid
and minimize project effects?....................................................................................................................................12
What is planned for wetland and stream mitigation?.....................................................................................................12
What benefits will the project provide?......................................................................................................................12
How will the project incorporate community design preferences?.............................................................................12
How will the project be constructed?.........................................................................................................................12
Why do we consider social resources as we plan this project?.....................................................................................12
What are the key points of this report?..........................................................................................................................12
Existing Conditions.........................................................................................................................................................12
What is the study area and how was it determined? .....................................................................................................12
What sources provided information for the analysis?....................................................................................................12
Who lives in Tukwila and Renton and how have these cities grown in recent years?...................................................12
What neighborhoods exist in the study area and what are they like?............................................................................12
Community/neighborhood cohesion..........................................................................................................................12
Tukwila neighborhoods.............................................................................................................................................12
Renton neighborhoods..............................................................................................................................................12
What parks and other recreational facilities are provided in the study area?.................................................................12
Crystal Springs Park .................................................................................................................................................12
Tukwila Park..............................................................................................................................................................12
Ikawa Park ................................................................................................................................................................12
Duwamish/Green River Trail.....................................................................................................................................12
Monster Road Trail....................................................................................................................................................12
Interurban Trail..........................................................................................................................................................12
Springbrook Trail.......................................................................................................................................................12
Freeway Park............................................................................................................................................................12
Narco Community Park (proposed)...........................................................................................................................12
Cedar River Trail.......................................................................................................................................................12
Cedar River Park.......................................................................................................................................................12
Liberty Park...............................................................................................................................................................12
Panther Creek Open Space (proposed)....................................................................................................................12
Thomas Teasdale Park.............................................................................................................................................12
Other Parks...............................................................................................................................................................12
What pedestrian, bicyclist, and transit facilities exist in the study area?........................................................................12
Do local comprehensive plans and policies call for more pedestrian, bicyclist, and transit facilities?............................12
Oakesdale Trail (proposed).......................................................................................................................................12
Burnett Trail (proposed)............................................................................................................................................12
Benson Road Trail (proposed)..................................................................................................................................12
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
ii Social Discipline Report
Thunder Hills Creek Trail (proposed)........................................................................................................................ 12
Narco and Panther Creek sites................................................................................................................................. 12
Public Involvement Activities......................................................................................................................................... 12
Why should the community be involved in the project?................................................................................................. 12
What types of outreach are being used?....................................................................................................................... 12
Are there ongoing public involvement activities?........................................................................................................... 12
Potential Effects............................................................................................................................................................... 12
How were effects on social resources determined?...................................................................................................... 12
Will project construction temporarily affect neighborhoods and community resources?................................................ 12
Neighborhoods.......................................................................................................................................................... 12
Community services.................................................................................................................................................. 12
Parks and trails......................................................................................................................................................... 12
Will the project permanently affect neighborhoods and community resources?............................................................ 12
Will there be effects on neighborhoods if the project is not built?.................................................................................. 12
Will the project indirectly affect neighborhoods and community services?.................................................................... 12
Measures to Avoid or Minimize Project Effects............................................................................................................ 12
How will temporary construction effects be minimized?................................................................................................ 12
Neighborhoods.......................................................................................................................................................... 12
Community services.................................................................................................................................................. 12
Trail crossings........................................................................................................................................................... 12
Are avoidance, minimization, and other mitigation measures needed?......................................................................... 12
References....................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Published Documents.................................................................................................................................................... 12
Websites........................................................................................................................................................................ 12
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report iii
E XHIBITS
Exhibit 1. Project Vicinity Map......................................................................................................................................... 1
Exhibit 2. Project Overview Section 1............................................................................................................................. 3
Exhibit 3. Project Overview Section 2............................................................................................................................. 4
Exhibit 4. Project Overview Section 3............................................................................................................................. 5
Exhibit 5. Project Overview Section 4............................................................................................................................. 6
Exhibit 6. Project Overview Section 5............................................................................................................................. 7
Exhibit 7. Project Overview Section 6............................................................................................................................. 8
Exhibit 8. Project Overview Section 7............................................................................................................................. 9
Exhibit 9. Project Overview Section 8............................................................................................................................10
Exhibit 10. Study Area and Land Use............................................................................................................................12
Exhibit 11. Minority Populations within the Study Area..................................................................................................12
Exhibit 12. Hispanic Population within the Study Area...................................................................................................12
Exhibit 13. Renter Occupancy within the Study Area.....................................................................................................12
Exhibit 14. Elderly Populations within the Study Area....................................................................................................12
Exhibit 15. Low-income Populations within the Study Area ...........................................................................................12
Exhibit 16. Disabled Population within the Study Area...................................................................................................12
Exhibit 17. Public Services and Community Resources within the Study Area..............................................................12
Exhibit 18. Recreational Facilities within the Study Area ...............................................................................................12
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iv Social Discipline Report
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GLOSSARY
Accessibility The ability to conveniently travel through an area and reach your destination, e.g., shopping,
services, home.
Acquisition The purchasing of property or businesses for use as right-of-way or for other purposes
necessary for completion of the project.
Block Group A subdivision of a census tract, a block group is the smallest geographic unit for which the
Census Bureau tabulates sample data.
Census The U.S. Census Bureau takes the census of population and housing in years ending in zero.
The census form includes both a short form (100 percent survey) and a long form (sample
survey of one in six households).
Census Tract Census tracts are small, fairly permanent subdivisions of a county. Their delineations are
determined by a local committee of users of census data in order to present such data. They
are designed to contain somewhat homogeneous population and economic characteristics as
well as living conditions. Census tracts average 4,000 inhabitants.
Community/neighborhood
Cohesion
Refers to the ability of people to communicate and interact with each other in ways that lead to
a sense of community as reflected in the neighborhood’s ability to function and be recognized
as a singular unit.
Comprehensive Plan A city's Comprehensive Plan provides policy and planning guidance on the physical
development and redevelopment of the city. It addresses a range of issues: land use,
economic development, housing, environmental protection, transportation, public facilities,
urban design and historic preservation. It also guides a city's zoning laws, which in turn affects
how your property and the properties around you may be used, the types of uses allowed in
residential and commercial areas, and the amount of parking that must be provided.
Context Sensitive Solutions This consists of guidelines established to represent community design preferences that will be
used in designing project features. The selected I-405 theme of “Culture, Nature, and
Progress,” with nature being the dominant theme, will be carried into corridor-wide and local
I-405 designs.
Corridor Road or highway right-of-way and the adjacent area that is visible from and extending along the
highway. The distance the corridor extends from the highway varies depending on different
intrinsic qualities, such as land use and topography, or the corridor could be a defined distance,
such as one-quarter or one-half mile.
Environmental Justice The process of identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionately high and adverse
health and/or environmental effects on minority and/or low-income populations.
Falsework Temporary structural supports needed in bridge construction.
GIS (Geographic Information
System)
A digital computer mapping system that can overlay data such as land use and provides a
spatial analysis.
Growth Management Act A state law passed by the legislature in 1990 and amended in 1991 that addresses the
negative consequences of unprecedented population growth and suburban sprawl in
Washington state. The GMA requires all cities and counties in the state to do some planning
and has more extensive requirements for the largest and fastest-growing counties and cities in
the state. Its requirements include guaranteeing the consistency of transportation and capital
facilities plans with land use plans.
GLOSSARY
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report v
Hispanic/Latino A self-designated classification for people whose origins are from Spain, the Spanish-speaking
countries of Central or South America, the Caribbean, or those identifying themselves generally
as Spanish, Spanish-American, etc. Origin can be viewed as ancestry, nationality, or country
of birth of the person or person’s parents or ancestors. Hispanic/Latino persons may be of any
race, White and Non-White (Persons of Color).
Land Use Land use is thought of as the type of activity (i.e., residential, commercial, or industrial) that
occurs on property.
Low Income Individuals listed in the 2000 Census as living at or below the federally designated poverty
level.
Minority Individuals listed in the 2000 Census as Black (a person having origins in any of the black racial
groups of Africa); Hispanic (a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South
American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race); Asian American (a person
having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian
subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands); American Indian/Alaskan Native (a person having origins
in any of the original people of North America and who maintains cultural identification through
tribal affiliation or community recognition); or some other race.
Mixed-use A hybrid land use category that encourages a flexible mix of residential, commercial, and
certain light industrial uses.
Multifamily Residential A residential land use category that encourages high-density housing containing two or more
dwelling units.
Outreach Efforts by the I-405 Team to contact members of the general public or specific targeted groups
or individuals to provide project information and to obtain input.
Poverty Having an income that falls below a threshold. The threshold varies by family size and
composition.
Race Race is a characteristic of population and in the 2000 Census included White and Non-White
(Persons of Color). Non-White includes Black or African-American alone, American Indian or
Alaskan Native alone, Asian alone, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander alone, some other
race alone, or a mixture of two or more races. Non-White can include persons of
Hispanic/Latino heritage. Some Hispanic/Latinos, however, are White.
Redevelopment To restore (buildings or neighborhoods, for example) to a better condition.
Right-of-way Land legally established for public use by pedestrians, vehicles, or utilities.
Scoping This process refers to efforts by the agencies to involve the public and other concerned groups
in determining what issues (scope) should be evaluated for a specific project. Meetings
specifically focused on soliciting information to determine issues and what should be
considered in a project’s scope are held early in a project’s development. These scoping
meetings help define what issues and environmental concerns are important to the public and
agencies.
Social Resources Social elements of the environment, including population, housing, community facilities,
religious institutions, social and employment services, cultural and social institutions,
government institutions, military installations, and neighborhood cohesion.
Staging Area Areas in unused right-of-way that will be used for employee parking, large equipment storage,
and material stockpiles during construction of the project improvements.
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
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ACRONYMS AND
ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS REPORT
BMP Best management practice.
CSS Context Sensitive Solutions
EA Environmental Assessment
EIS Environmental Impact Statement
GIS Geographic Information System
GMA Growth Management Act
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act
PSCAA Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
PSRC Puget Sound Regional Council
SEPA State Environmental Policy Act
WAC Washington Administrative Code
WSDOT Washington State Department of Transportation
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
1 Social Discipline Report
INTRODUCTION
What is the Renton Nickel Improvement Project?
The Renton Nickel Improvement Project is a highway expansion project that will
improve mobility and safety through Tukwila and Renton. On I-405, this project
begins just east of the I-5/I-405 interchange in Tukwila and extends north past the
Cedar River to the SR 169 (Maple Valley Highway) interchange. The project will build
an additional lane both northbound and southbound between I-5 and SR 169. On
SR 167, the project will extend the southbound high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane
north to I-405 and add a southbound auxiliary lane from I-405 to the SW 41st Street
off-ramp. These limits comprise the study area for the project.
Prior to planning this specific project, WSDOT created the I-405 Corridor Program.
This program provides a comprehensive strategy to reduce congestion and improve
mobility throughout the I-405 corridor. The corridor begins at the I-5 interchange in
the city of Tukwila and extends northward 30 miles to the I-5 interchange in the city of
Lynnwood. The program’s purpose is to provide an efficient, integrated, and
multimodal system of
transportation solutions.
Using the I-405 Corridor
Program’s Selected
Alternative as the Master
Plan to improve I-405,
WSDOT developed
relatively low cost,
congestion relief roadway
improvements as an interim
step in achieving the Master
Plan. As part of this effort,
WSDOT began to define
the Renton Nickel
Improvement Project. The
Renton Nickel Improvement
Project was developed as
part of a first step in
providing a focused strategy
to improve I-405 between
I-5 in Tukwila and SR 169 in
Renton and SR 167
southbound from I-405 to
SW 41st Street, see Exhibit
1. This discipline report
analyzes two project
alternatives: the No Build
Alternative and the Build
Alternative.
Exhibit 1. Project Vicinity Map
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INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
2 Social Discipline Report
What is the No Build Alternative?
The No Build Alternative assumes that only routine
activities such as road maintenance, repair, and safety
improvements would take place over the next 20 years.
This alternative does not include improvements to increase
roadway capacity or reduce congestion. For these
reasons, it does not satisfy the project’s purpose—improve
I-405 between I-5 in Tukwila and SR 169 in Renton and
SR 167 southbound from I-405 to SW 41st Street.
The No Build Alternative has been evaluated in this
discipline report to establish a baseline for comparing
the effects associated with the Build Alternative.
What is the Build Alternative?
The new lanes that will be built under this project are:
An I-405 northbound general-purpose (GP)
lane from I-5 to the SR 167 off-ramp.
An I-405 northbound auxiliary lane from the
SR 167 to I-405 on-ramp to the SR 169 off-ramp.
An I-405 southbound auxiliary lane from the
SR 169 to I-405 on-ramp to the SR 167 off-ramp.
An I-405 southbound GP lane from the SR 167
to I-405 on-ramp to the I-5 off-ramp.
A SR 167 southbound auxiliary lane from I-405 to the
SW 41st Street off-ramp. Also, the existing inside
HOV lane will be extended north to I-405 from its
present starting point in the vicinity of SW 21st Street.
See Exhibits 2 through 9 show the project features. In
addition to adding lanes to I-405 and SR 167, this project
will provide the following improvements.
Improve Interchanges
Minor modifications will be made to the ramps at the
SR 167 interchange:
The one-lane ramp from northbound I-405 to
SR 167 will be widened to a 2-lane off
connection, which provides a dedicated lane to
southbound SR 167 and a dedicated lane to
northbound Rainer Avenue. See Exhibit 5.
Traffic from two consecutive single-lane on-
ramps from southbound I-405 to SR 167 will be
separated by a concrete barrier. This will
provide a smoother transition to the mainline
and reduce congestion on the on-ramps.
What is an auxiliary lane?
An auxiliary lane is a lane added between
interchanges—from one on-ramp to the
next off-ramp. It is dedicated to traffic
entering and leaving the freeway and
provides motorists with more time and
extra room to accelerate or decelerate
and merge when getting on and off the
freeway.
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Existing On-ramp On-ramp with
proposed auxiliary
lane
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 3
T u k w i l a P a r k w a y
I-405
Southern
Project Limit
at I-5
Gilliam Creek
Cottage Creek
Westfield
Shoppingtown MallSouthcenter ParkwaySouthcenter Blvd 65th Ave STUKWILA
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I-405 Northboundbound Improvements:
A general-purpose lane will be added by restriping the existing
pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at
some locations.
I-405 Southbound Improvements:
A general-purpose lane will be added by restriping the existing
pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at
some locations. M0250500
Feet
I-405 NORTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
I-405 SOUTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
Renton
Renton
Piped River/Creek Channel
Open River/Creek Channel
Ecology EmbankmentÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ
Retaining Wall
Stormwater Flow Control
Facility
New Pavement
Easement Acquisition
Parcel Acquisition
Existing ROW
Areas of Construction
New ROW
Exhibit 2. Project Overview Section 1
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
4 Social Discipline Report ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃInterurban TrailFort
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I-405 Northbound Improvements:
A general-purpose lane will be added by restriping the existing
pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at
some locations.
I-405 Southbound Improvements:
A general-purpose lane will be added by restriping the existing
pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at
some locations. M0250500
Feet
I-405 SOUTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
Renton
Renton
I-405 NORTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
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Retaining Wall
Piped River/Creek Channel
Open River/Creek Channel
ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment
Stormwater Flow Control
Facility
New Pavement
Areas of Construction
Easement Acquisition
Parcel Acquisition
Existing ROW
New ROW
Exhibit 3. Project Overview Section 2
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 5
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SW 16th St
S W G r a d y W a y
SW G ra d y W a y
Oakesdale Ave SWSW 16th St
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I-405 Northbound Improvements:
A general-purpose lane will be added by restriping the existing
pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at
some locations. The existing Springbrook Creek and Oakesdale
Avenue bridges will be replaced and the existing culvert will be
removed.
I-405 Southbound Improvements:
A general-purpose lane will be added by restriping the existing
pavement and adding pavement up to 70 feet to the outside at
some locations. The existing Springbrook Creek and Oakesdale
Avenue bridges will be replaced and the existing culvert will be
removed.M0250500
Feet
I-405 SOUTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
Renton
Renton
I-405 NORTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
Piped River/Creek Channel
Open River/Creek Channel
ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment
Retaining Wall
Stormwater Flow Control
Facility
New Pavement
Areas of Construction
Easement Acquisition
Parcel Acquisition
Existing ROW
New ROW
Exhibit 4. Project Overview Section 3
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
6 Social Discipline Report
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I-405 Northbound Improvements:
A general-purpose lane will be added up to the SR 167 interchange and an auxiliary lane
will be added from the SR 167 to I-405 on-ramp north. These lanes will be added by
restriping the existing pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at
some locations.
I-405 Southbound Improvements:
An auxiliary lane will be added up to the I-405 to SR 167 on-ramp and a general-purpose
lane will be added south of the interchange. These lanes will be added by restriping the
existing pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at some locations.
SR 167 Southbound Improvements:
An auxiliary lane will be added by restriping existing pavement and adding up to 19 feet
of pavement at the outside at some locations. The existing HOV lane will be extended
north from SW 21st Street to the interchange with I-405.M0250500
Feet
I-405 SOUTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
Renton
Renton
I-405 NORTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
SR 167 SOUTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
Renton
ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ
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Piped River/Creek Channel
Open River/Creek Channel
Proposed Noise Wall
ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment
Retaining Wall
Stormwater Flow Control
Facility
New Pavement
Areas of Construction
Easement Acquisition
Parcel Acquisition
Existing ROW
New ROW
Exhibit 5. Project Overview Section 4
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 7 ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃPanther
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Wetlands
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Staging
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SW 23rd St
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SR 167 Improvements:
In addition to extending the HOV lane north from SW 21st
Street, an auxiliary lane will be added by restriping the existing
pavement and adding pavement up to 19 feet to the outside at
some locations.
M0250500
Feet
SR 167 SOUTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
Renton
RentonÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ
Piped River/Creek Channel
Open River/Creek Channel
ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment
Retaining Wall
Stormwater Flow Control
Facility
New Pavement
Areas of Construction
Easement Acquisition
Parcel Acquisition
Existing ROW
New ROW
Exhibit 6. Project Overview Section 5
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
8 Social Discipline Report ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃSW 41st St
S W 3 3 r d S t
Panther CreekEast Valley RdTalbot Rd SLind Ave SWAæ
SR 167
Southern
Project Limit
at SW 41st St
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SR 167 Improvements:
An auxiliary lane will be added by restriping the existing
pavement and adding pavement up to 19 feet to the outside at
some locations. The new lane will tie into the existing ramp
connection to SW 41st Street.
M0250500
Feet
SR 167 SOUTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
Renton
Renton
Piped River/Creek Channel
Open River/Creek Channel
ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment
Retaining Wall
Stormwater Flow Control
Facility
New Pavement
Areas of Construction
Easement Acquisition
Parcel Acquisition
Existing ROW
New ROW
Exhibit 7. Project Overview Section 6
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 9 ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃS G rady W ayB
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I-405 Northbound Improvements:
An auxiliary lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement
and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside at some locations.
I-405 Southbound Improvements:
An auxiliary lane will be added by restriping the existing pavement
and adding pavement up to 24 feet to the outside at some locations.
Benson Rd S Improvements:
The Benson Rd S overpass will be replaced and realigned to the
west of its current location. The new overpass will have 2 lanes with
5-foot bike lanes on both sides and a 6-foot sidewalk on the west
side.M0250500
Feet
I-405 NORTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
I-405 SOUTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
Renton
Renton
Parcel Acquisition
New ROW
Existing ROW
Easement Acquisition
Areas of Construction
New Pavement
Stormwater Flow Control
Facility
Retaining Wall
ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment
Proposed Noise Wall
Piped River/Creek Channel
Open River/Creek Channel
Exhibit 8. Project Overview Section 7
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
10 Social Discipline Report
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I-405 Northbound Improvements:
An auxiliary lane will be added by restriping the existing
pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside
at some locations.
I-405 Southbound Improvements:
An auxiliary lane will be added by restriping the existing
pavement and adding pavement up to 15 feet to the outside
at some locations. M0250500
Feet
I-405 NORTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
I-405 SOUTHBOUND
Existing
Proposed
Renton
Renton
Piped River/Creek Channel
Open River/Creek Channel
ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃ Ecology Embankment
Retaining Wall
Stormwater Flow Control
Facility
New Pavement
Areas of Construction
Easement Acquisition
Parcel Acquisition
Existing ROW
New ROW
Exhibit 9. Project Overview Section 8
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 11
Improve Benson Road
The Benson Road overpass will be replaced and
realigned to accommodate the southbound auxiliary
lane on I-405 as well as future improvements to I-405
as shown on Exhibit 8. Improvements on Benson
Road include a 6-foot sidewalk on the west side and
5-foot bike lanes on both sides.
Widen and replace bridges
Several bridges within the study area will be widened
or replaced based on present location, cost, and
existing soil conditions. To construct the new lanes,
the project will:
Widen Talbot Road Bridge on both the
northbound and the southbound sides. See
Exhibit 8.
Replace Springbrook Creek Side Channel
Bridge and Oakesdale Avenue Bridge with new
southbound and northbound structures and
remove the Springbrook Creek box culvert.
See Exhibit 4.
Replace the rail on the I-405 bridges over
SR 181 and the Union Pacific and Burlington
Northern Santa Fe railroads.
The project will not affect the I-405 bridges over the
Green River, Lind Avenue, or the Cedar River. The
project will also not affect the Cedar Avenue or Renton
Avenue overpasses. The roadway will be restriped in
these areas to accommodate the new lanes.
Use retaining walls
Widening I-405 and SR 167 will require retaining walls
to minimize the construction footprint and right-of-way
acquisition. Retaining walls will also help avoid and
minimize effects to wetlands and other sensitive areas.
Improve culverts
WSDOT anticipates that construction will affect some
existing stormwater cross culverts and one stream
culvert. Associated culvert improvements include
extending the existing structures due to widening the
roadway and stabilizing culvert ends with rock or
retaining walls. The I-405 Team will conduct a hydraulic
analysis of the culverts to ensure that the modifications
will have no effect on the base flood elevations. See the
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Discipline Report for
detailed discussion on fish passage.
Why rebuild Benson Road on a new
alignment over I-405?
By building the new overpass to the west
on a new alignment, the new structure
can be constructed while the existing
structure remains open to traffic. Traffic
can then be shifted onto the new
structure, while the old overpass is
demolished.
What does a “rail” replacement involve?
Typically, a bridge rail replacement
project consists of making minor
adjustments to the width of the bridge
deck and replacing the guard rail or
barrier. This type of project does not
include adding new bridge columns or
footings.
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
12 Social Discipline Report
Build a noise wall
One noise wall will be built on the northbound side of
the freeway as shown on Exhibits 5 and 8. The wall
will begin at the intersection of South 14th Street and
South 15th Street and follow South 14th Street east to
Talbot Road. This wall will be approximately 2,150
feet long and 18 feet tall.
How will stormwater from the project be
managed?
Stormwater from the project will be managed for both
quality and peak flows using currently accepted best
management practices (BMPs). The I-405 Team has
designed the stormwater management facilities to
comply with the following guidelines and procedures:
WSDOT Highway Runoff Manual M 31-16
WSDOT Hydraulics Manual M 23-03
Stormwater treatment facilities
The project will add new impervious surface within the
study area, most of which will be within the Springbrook
Creek basin. This project will treat runoff for an area
equal to 100 percent of these new surfaces.
The project will use BMPs that the HRM lists as
enhanced treatment facilities. The I-405 Team has
proposed that stormwater be treated using a
combination of these facilities. In most of the study
area, ecology embankments will be used to capture
runoff from the edge of the
pavement and provide water
quality treatment. Ecology
embankments also serve to
convey treated runoff to
receiving waters or to flow
control facilities as required.
The project also includes a
combined stormwater quality
wetland and detention facility
that addresses water quality
and flow control in one facility.
Exhibits 2 through 9 show the
location of stormwater facilities
that will be built for this project. Ecology Embankment Cross-Section
What are the guidelines for stormwater
management facilities?
Water quality treatment will be provided
for an area equal to the new impervious
surfaces created on the project.
Impervious surfaces, such as pavement,
are those that do not allow water to
penetrate into the ground. Stormwater
from new impervious surfaces or an equal
area will be controlled in detention
facilities. This process allows water to
be held (detained) and thus released at
rates that are equal to existing
conditions.
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 13
Drainage Collection and Conveyance
Some changes to existing drainage will be necessary
to provide flow control and water quality treatment to
address the new impervious area added by the
project. However, existing storm drainage systems
will be kept to the greatest extent possible and existing
flow patterns will be maintained. Where roadway
widening affects drainage ditches that convey water
from adjacent private properties, the project design will
assure that existing conveyance capacities are
maintained.
What environmental and utilities issues
influenced the project design and what
was done to avoid and minimize project
effects?
Throughout the development of the Renton Nickel
Improvement Project design, environmental elements
were reviewed and design features were modified to
avoid or minimize negative effects to the environment.
Influence on the project design came from:
Soil Conditions: the soils in the project area are
highly prone to accentuate earthquake
shaking, which influences how bridges can be
widened or replaced.
Noise: highway noise in the project area
already exceeds acceptable levels, which
means that including noise walls as part of the
project had to be considered.
Wetland Locations: many wetlands are located
along the edges of the highway, which
influence whether the widened sections will
use retaining walls or fill slopes.
Historical Sites: some historic sites exist within
the study area, so the project design was
coordinated to avoid these properties.
Because the I-405 Team planned for these
environmental considerations, several design features
have the benefit of avoiding or minimizing potential
effects due to the project. These design features are
described from south to north below.
I-405, I-5 to SR 167
WSDOT will construct a retaining wall from west of the
68th Avenue structure over I-405 at Tukwila Parkway
What are detention facilities?
These facilities control stormwater runoff
so that it can be released at a controlled
rate. Two types are commonly used:
Ponds.
Vaults. Similar to a pond, but with a
hard-sided construction. These
concrete structures function like a
pond but also provide detention
storage.
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
14 Social Discipline Report
The proposed design modifications allow
the additional lanes to be added over the
Green River by restriping instead of
bridge widening. This avoids effects on
the river, stream habitat, floodplain, and
Interurban Trail.
to the Green River. This wall avoids the need to
construct a fill slope that would extend into Gilliam
Creek. See Exhibit 2.
WSDOT will provide a narrower outside shoulder on
northbound I-405 at the Green River Bridge. The
shoulder will vary from 10 to just over 3 feet at the west
abutment of the existing bridge. Narrowing the
shoulder avoids modifications to the existing bridge. As
a result, the design also avoids effects to the river, the
100-year floodplain, the ordinary high water level, and
adjacent riparian zones.
At the SR 181 interchange, the bridge and ramp will
be restriped to provide the new general-purpose lane
and ramp improvements. This approach minimizes
the need to widen the existing SR 181 Bridge,
reconstruct the SR 181 interchange, or modify the
Southcenter Boulevard crossing of the Green River.
This in turn avoids relocating or diverting the
Interurban Trail, which goes under the bridge. See
Exhibit 3.
Near the Westfield Shoppingtown Mall, a large Seattle
Public Utilities water transmission line parallels I-405.
WSDOT will line this pipe so that is can support the
loads from the new roadway embankment. This
approach allows the line to stay in its present location.
WSDOT will remove the existing I-405 bridges over
the Springbrook Creek side channel and Oakesdale
Avenue and replace them with a single northbound
and a single southbound bridge. This approach will
allow for the removal of the Springbrook Creek box
culvert. Construction of the new bridges will be
phased with the southbound bridge built slightly to the
north of the existing roadway. This phasing minimizes
the need to construct temporary roadway to maintain
traffic operations. WSDOT also evaluated the location
of the new bridge piers and selected locations that will
minimize the effect on the existing stream, stream
buffer, and trail that crosses under the bridge.
WSDOT will construct a narrower exit gore from I-405
to the northbound ramp at the SR 167 interchange as
shown in Exhibit 5. By building a narrower exit gore,
the project can be constructed within the existing right-
of-way. This has the benefit of avoiding right-of-way
acquisition, avoiding effects to the wetland outside the
right-of-way, and avoiding effects to the existing Lind
Avenue Bridge.
What is an exit gore?
An exit gore is a roadway feature that
separates an exiting lane from the main
lanes. An exit gore can be defined either
by paint stripes, raised buttons, physical
barriers, or a combination of these.
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 15
Retaining walls will help to avoid and
minimize effects on the Panther Creek
wetlands along SR 167
SR 167, southbound from I-405 to SW 41st Street
WSDOT will build a retaining wall along a large portion
of the west edge of SR 167 southbound instead of an
earth fill slope. See Exhibits 6 and 7. The retaining
wall minimizes effects on three wetlands. The
retaining wall has the added benefit of minimizing
right-of-way needs and reduces the effect on existing
utility crossings, in particular, the City of Seattle’s 60-
inch water line and Olympic Petroleum’s two high
pressure pipelines, which all cross under SR 167.
I-405, SR 167 to SR 169
WSDOT will add a lane by restriping I-405 northbound
next to the Talbot Hill retaining wall immediately east
of the SR 167 interchange. Restriping instead of
widening avoids the need to reconstruct the existing
Talbot Hill retaining wall and avoids effects on
properties south of I-405 in this area. Between Talbot
Road and the “S-Curves”, northbound I-405 will be
widened to achieve standard lane and shoulder
widths. Most of this length will be supported by
retaining walls to minimize effects to Thunder Hills
Creek, adjacent properties, and the existing cut slope
south of I-405.
To support the fill required to widen the roadway on
the north side of I-405 next to the outfall for the
original Rolling Hills Creek culvert, the design uses a
retaining wall. By using the retaining wall, the project
improvements at this location can be constructed
without affecting the existing culvert.
WSDOT will use a non-standard design for the I-405
to SR 167 exit ramp. The changes from the design
standards include not providing a recovery lane,
narrowing the distance between the through lane and
ramp, and providing narrower shoulders. While these
changes deviate from WSDOT design standards they
are an improvement over existing conditions. These
features will avoid effects to the existing Rolling Hills
Creek/Thunder Hills Creek channel located between
I-405 and the Renton Cinema complex as shown in
Exhibit 5. Using retaining walls along the west side of
Benson Road avoids effects to Rolling Hills Creek and
the wetlands east of Talbot Road.
WSDOT will use retaining walls to support widening
southbound I-405 south of the Cedar Avenue
overpass. Using retaining walls versus a fill slope,
avoids encroaching on Cedar Avenue and Main
Avenue in Renton.
What is a recovery lane?
A recovery lane is a paved area adjacent
to an off-ramp. This area gives drivers,
who find themselves exiting the freeway
unintentionally, room to maneuver back
onto the freeway.
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
16 Social Discipline Report
WSDOT also plans to replace the existing Benson
Road overpass on a new alignment. The new bridge
will be located slightly to the west of the existing
bridge. This will allow traffic to continue to use the
existing overpass until the new one is completed. This
will minimize disruption for local traffic and to
emergency response vehicles.
Where northbound and southbound I-405 passes
under the Renton Avenue and Cedar Avenue
overpasses, WSDOT will add lanes by restriping. This
design avoids replacing the two overpasses; however,
the available area does not allow the standard
shoulder and lane widths.
WSDOT shifted a proposed stormwater facility to
avoid effects to the existing Renton Coal Mine Hoist
Foundation site south of Benson Road. This site is on
the Washington Historic Register.
What is planned for wetland and stream mitigation?
WSDOT will compensate for unavoidable effects to
wetlands with credits from the Springbrook Creek
Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank. Mitigation is
needed for 1.66 acres of wetlands.
The Springbrook Creek Wetland and Habitat Mitigation
Bank is being developed as a joint effort between
WSDOT and the City of Renton. This ‘bank’ will
construct a new high quality wetland complex that will
serve to replace other wetlands that are filled in by
projects such as the Renton Nickel Improvement
Project. The location of the bank is shown to the left.
In addition to wetland mitigation, the site will also
provide flood storage mitigation. The Springbrook
Creek Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank will be one
of the first urban mitigation banks to be certified in
Washington.
To mitigate project effects on streams, WSDOT will
remove the existing Springbrook Creek box culvert.
With the new I-405 southbound and northbound
bridges that will span both Springbrook Creek and
Oakesdale Avenue, the box culvert is no longer
needed. After the new bridges are in place, the box
culvert will be removed and the streambed in that area
will be restored. This will improve fish habitat within
Springbrook Creek. Any additional stream mitigation
required to offset project effects will be accommodated
within the project vicinity.
Renton Coal Mine Hoist Foundation site
looking west
r
Interurban TrailPanther
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Wetlands
Green River TrailFort
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SW 41st St
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Lind Ave SWS
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500 Year Floodplain
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Springbrook Creek Wetland
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Local Road
Legend
Trail
Arterial Road
Freeway
River/Creek Channel
Study Area Limits
Springbrook Creek Wetland and Habitat
Mitigation Bank
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 17
What benefits will the project provide?
The Build Alternative will benefit the area by reducing
congestion at chokepoints, reducing the duration of
congestion during peak commuter travel hours, and
improving freight movement.
This section of I-405, from the I-5 interchange to
SR 169, is congested due to large traffic volumes and
merging and diverging traffic. The new lanes will help
relieve congestion by adding roadway capacity. This
in turn will improve safety by providing drivers with
more time and extra room to accelerate or decelerate
and move into and out of the stream of traffic when
getting on and off the freeway. This provides a
smoother transition for motorists as they get on and off
I-405 in Tukwila and Renton and helps decrease rear-
end and sideswipe collisions.
The project reduces congestion approaching the
SR 167 interchange, and it complements the
completed southbound I-405 to southbound SR 167
flyover ramp.
This project will construct one noise wall along
northbound I-405 from the intersection of South 14th
Street and South 15th Street east to Talbot Road. This
wall will benefit residents in that area by lowering the
overall noise levels.
Another benefit of this project is that it continues the
application of the Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS)
design choices made by the communities within the
I-405 corridor. The Benson Road realignment will
reflect the most comprehensive application of these
design choices as explained further in the next section.
How will the project incorporate
community design preferences?
The Renton Nickel Improvement Project is being
planned, developed, and designed according to CSS
guidelines. These guidelines establish the community
design preferences used to design the project
features. Working within the framework for the overall
I-405 corridor, the Urban Design Guidelines will be
adapted to incorporate the communities’ design
preferences. These preferences will be included in
the contract documents prepared for the Renton
Nickel Improvement Project. The selected I-405
theme of “Culture, Nature, and Progress,” with nature
This rendering shows the new Benson
Road overpass with the CSS Guidelines
applied
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
18 Social Discipline Report
being the dominant theme, will be carried into corridor-
wide and local I-405 designs.
The new Benson Road overpass is the main project
feature that will receive CSS treatment. The new
southbound and northbound bridges over Springbrook
Creek and Oakesdale Avenue will also receive CSS
treatments. The rest of the project elements will be
designed to match in color and vegetation type only, as
many of these elements will be affected by construction
of future Master Plan projects. During future Master
Plan phases for the overall I-405 corridor, the approved
CSS guidelines will be applied throughout.
How will the project be constructed?
Construction of the entire Renton Nickel Improvement
Project is expected to take two years, beginning in
early 2008 and being completed in late 2010.
However, construction activity will not be constant for
the entire study area throughout this time, and in some
locations, the work will take substantially less time
than two years. Construction will pose some minor
inconveniences because of localized travel delays due
to temporary lane closures and narrowed lanes and
shoulders.
At-grade construction
At-grade construction, which occurs on the same
elevation as the existing lanes, will be staged to
minimize traffic delays and detours. Typically, lanes
are shifted toward the median. WSDOT then places a
concrete barrier to close off the shoulder. Staging
allows construction to occur safely without closing
lanes for the duration of construction. Access to
construction areas will occur from the roadway side to
minimize property effects.
Bridge construction
Construction of the I-405 bridges will occur in multiple
stages to minimize traffic delays and detours. The
following describes typical staging for bridge
construction. As the first stage, traffic is shifted toward
the I-405 median and the existing lanes and shoulders
are narrowed slightly to allow widening of the existing
structure or construction of the new bridge depending
on the design. In the next stage, traffic is shifted onto
the new bridge area. If the bridge is being replaced
rather than simply widened, the old structure is
demolished after traffic is shifted to the new bridge.
At-grade construction for this project will
likely be staged similar what is shown
above. Here, the southbound lanes of I-5
were shifted toward the median and a
concrete barrier closed off the shoulder to
provide crews a safe work area.
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 19
The new Benson Road overpass will also be staged.
The new structure will be built to the west, while the
existing overpass remains in service. After traffic has
been shifted onto the new overpass, the existing
structure will be demolished.
Staging areas
Construction staging areas along I-405 and SR 167
will be within the WSDOT right-of-way. Potential
staging areas have been identified as shown on
Exhibits 2 through 9.
Traffic control
Detour agreements with the local agencies will be
obtained after WSDOT awards the contract. A traffic
control plan will be approved by WSDOT prior to
starting construction. The plan’s primary objectives will
be to provide a safe facility, to streamline the
construction schedule, and to minimize reductions to
existing traffic capacity. To lessen effects on traffic, the
duration of activities will be minimized and reductions in
capacity will be limited and will be targeted to a period
when they will have the least effect.
Why do we consider social resources as we plan this
project?
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
requires that social effects be given adequate
consideration in project decision-making. The
Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)
also includes social effects among the elements of the
environment that must be considered in project
planning. A number of other federal laws and
regulations also require consideration of social effects
in project planning. A few of these are Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, and related statutes; ISTEA
of 1991; the American with Disabilities Act; and the
Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property
Acquisition Policies Act. In accordance with the
WSDOT 2004 Environmental Procedures Manual, this
discipline report provides the information needed to
document potential effects on the social resources in
the study area.
Social refers to a range of issues that affect
neighborhoods and the people living within them.
Because of the large scale of many transportation
What social resources elements are
considered?
The WSDOT Environmental Procedures
Manual considers direct and indirect
effects such as:
Effects on community life, persons,
and groups
Changes in social
relationships/patterns
Isolation of a community
Changes in population
Changes in street circulation
patterns
Separation of residences from
community facilities and adjoining
residential areas
Increase in automobile dependency
Effects on affordable and accessible
housing
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
20 Social Discipline Report
projects and the large amounts of associated traffic,
these projects can have substantial effects on social
resources.
The WSDOT Environmental Procedures Manual
includes other topics that may be addressed in the
Social Discipline Report, including environmental
justice and public services and utilities. For the
Renton Nickel Improvement Project, these topics are
addressed in separate reports.
What are the key points of this report?
The key points of this report are:
The study area encompasses recognized
neighborhoods in both Tukwila and Renton.
These neighborhoods are well established, but
they vary in age and amount of redevelopment.
A variety of social resources occur within the
study area, including schools, community
centers, parks, and emergency response
services, etc.
Traffic congestion will temporarily increase in
areas of active construction. This will increase
travel times for the public, neighborhood
residents, and community service agencies.
The project improvements will not divide or
isolate any neighborhoods; therefore
community cohesion will not be affected.
The project will displace no residents. Twelve
businesses will be displaced, but they plan to
relocate within the study area.
Access to and from downtown Renton will be
improved for pedestrians and bicyclists from
adjoining neighborhoods because the Benson
Road overpass replacement will include
sidewalks and shoulders that can be used by
bicyclists.
People traveling through the study area
following construction will benefit from higher
speeds and reduced travel times.
Community services staff and clients who
travel on I-405 and SR 167 will benefit from
better access to and from service locations
because of reduced travel times during peak
and off-peak hours.
What is community/neighborhood
cohesion?
Cohesion refers to the ability of people to
communicate and interact with each
other in ways that lead to a sense of
community. The discussion of
community cohesion includes
neighborhood population characteristics
and connections with churches, schools,
and other community facilities.
INTRODUCTION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 21
Tukwila has several multifamily and single-family
residential areas that occur in the western portion of
the study area north of the commercial development
adjacent to I-405. Commercial land uses dominate
the study area that is within Tukwila. Renton has
seven recognized neighborhoods within the study
area. These neighborhoods are well established, but
vary in age and the amount of ongoing
redevelopment. Older neighborhoods include more of
a mix of multifamily and single-family housing than
newer neighborhoods located on the surrounding hills
adjacent to I-405 and SR 167. The proposed project
will not affect how many people live in the study area
neighborhoods or the type of people who live there.
Project construction will temporarily increase
congestion and travel times for the general public,
including staff and clients of community services
agencies and residents of the study area traveling to
shopping, churches, and recreational facilities.
Providing public information about the timing and
location of construction activities will help minimize the
effects on access to these services.
Project construction also will temporarily affect people
who use the pedestrian and bicycle trails that cross
under I-405. In particular, the Springbrook Trail has
limited vertical clearance, and this trail will need to be
closed temporarily to accommodate replacement of
the I-405 bridge that crosses over the trail.
Designating detours will minimize these temporary
effects on the users.
Continued public information and outreach during
project design and construction will help neighborhood
residents and other users understand the timing and
locations of construction activities, so that they may
plan better for their trips for community services,
shopping, recreation, commuting, and other purposes.
The completed project will not displace any housing
and will not create any physical impediments that
would make it more difficult or less safe for people to
reach neighborhood facilities, community services,
housing, transit facilities, or parks and recreational
facilities.
Springbrook Trail passes under I-405
next to where the freeway crosses
Springbrook Creek
Public outreach will continue to provide
information to the public via meetings,
newsletters, mailings, and other
methods
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
22 Social Discipline Report
EXISTING CONDITIONS
What is the study area and how was it determined?
In preparing the Social Discipline Report, the I-405
Team set the study area limits to encompass the area
of potential effects on social resources. Specifically,
the team anticipates that project effects on social
resources will not extend farther than about one-half
mile from project activities along I-405 and SR 167.
Because the neighborhoods and population census
areas used to characterize the social resources near
the project tend to extend more than one-half mile, the
study area varies depending on the neighborhood
boundaries and census areas. For recreational
resources, the study area limits are one-half mile.
Exhibit 10 shows the study area limits used for this
report. The I-405 Team considered information for the
highlighted neighborhoods and census areas.
What sources provided information for the analysis?
The I-405 Team collected information from a variety of
sources. Year 2000 statistics published by the U.S.
Bureau of the Census formed the basis for describing
who lives in the study area. The I-405 Team obtained
additional descriptive information from web sites
hosted by the City of Renton, City of Tukwila, and the
Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). In addition,
the I-405 Team contacted neighborhood
representatives, social services providers, and Tukwila
and Renton staff, who provided information relevant to
the social analysis.
The team obtained additional data from previous
reports prepared for the I-405 Corridor EIS. The I-405
Team also reviewed other discipline reports for the
Renton Nickel Improvement Project relevant to social
elements. These reports addressed environmental
justice; noise; visual quality; transportation; land use
patterns, plans, and policies; air quality; Section 4(f);
and economics.
How did the team gather community
data?
The I-405 Team:
Visited the study area
Conducted neighborhood
observations
Reviewed aerial photographs
Researched census and geographic
information system (GIS) data
Reviewed regional and local planning
documents
Conducted public involvement
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 23
G r e e n R
i
v
e
r
C
e
d
ar
R
iv
er
Panther
Creek
Wetlands
SW 41st St
S W 3 4 t h S t
S W 2 7 t h S t
SW 16th St
Southcenter ParkwayW Valley HwyI
n
t
e
r
u
r
ban Ave SMa
p
l
e
V
alley H
w
yRainier Ave SS
W
Sun se t B lvdS W 7 t h S t
S W G r a d y W a y
Lind Ave SWTUKWILA
RENTON
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Renton
Hill
South
Renton
Piazza
Renton
North
Renton
Monterey
Terrace
Talbot Hill
Valley Vue
Victoria
Park
I-405
Northern
Project Limit
at SR 169
SR 167
Southern
Project Limit
at SW 41st St
I-405
Southern
Project Limits
at I-5
M
0 0.25 0.5
Miles
Exhibit 10. Study Area and Land Use
Aerial photos and maps generated from GIS data
helped identify locations of community facilities. Using
the maps, the team identified schools, religious
institutions, parks, and medical centers that are
important to community cohesion and social
interaction.
The I-405 Team developed a questionnaire for use in
interviews with social services providers. Their
responses helped the team understand social
resources and needs in the study area. The team
reviewed the responses to the questionnaires and
used the information to analyze project effects.
Single-family
Residential
14%
Multifamily
Residential
5%
Industrial
14%
Commercial
23%Vacant
26%
Other
18%
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
24 Social Discipline Report
Who lives in Tukwila and Renton and how have these
cities grown in recent years?
The proposed improvements lie entirely within the
cities of Tukwila and Renton. Between 1990 and
2000, the number of residents in both communities
grew substantially.
Tukwila grew from a population of 11,874 in 1990 to
17,181 in 2000, according to 2000 Census
information. This represents growth of about
45 percent. Renton also grew between 1990 and
2000 from 41,688 residents to 50,052 residents. This
represents growth of just over 20 percent. King
County as a whole grew about 15.2 percent during the
same period.
Between 2000 and 2004, Renton added an additional
5,308 residents (10.6 percent), according to
Washington State Office of Financial Management
information provided on the PSRC web site. Tukwila
added 59 residents (0.3 percent) during this period.
Residential growth in both cities is likely to increase in
coming years. New apartments, condominiums, and
housing developments are under construction or
proposed in Tukwila and Renton. Tukwila recognizes
that the number of residences in the city is small
relative to the size of its workforce. As part of its
economic development strategy, Tukwila plans to
encourage an increase in housing to support an
increased residential population. Within the Renton
downtown core, many multifamily developments have
been proposed. These developments will increase the
density within Renton’s downtown.
2000 Census information indicate that 58.6 percent of
Tukwila’s population and 68.1 percent of Renton’s
population is white; other residents represent various
other races. Race is one characteristic of population
and in the 2000 Census race included White and Non-
White (Persons of Color). Non-White includes Black
or African-American alone, American Indian or
Alaskan Native alone, Asian alone, Native Hawaiian or
other Pacific Islander alone, some other race alone, or
a mixture of two or more races. Non-White can
include persons of Hispanic/Latino heritage. Some
Hispanic/Latinos, however, are White.
Recent multifamily development in the
study area
New development in downtown Renton
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 25
The largest minority populations by race represented
in the 2000 Census include Black or African American
(12.8 percent in Tukwila and 8.5 percent in Renton),
and Asian (10.9 percent in Tukwila and 13.4 percent in
Renton). Exhibit 11 identifies concentrations of
minority populations. Detailed breakdowns by race
may be examined in the Environmental Justice
Discipline Report.
G r e e n R
i
v
e
r
C
e
d
ar
Riv
er
Panther
Creek
Wetlands
SW 41st St
S W 3 4 t h S t
S W 2 7 t h S t
SW 16th St
Southcenter ParkwayW Valley HwyI
n
t
e
r
u
r
ban Ave SM
a
p
l
e
V
alley H
w
yRainier Ave SS
W
Sun s e t B lvdS W 7 t h S t
S W G r a d y W a y
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RENTON
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Legend
Stream
Arterial Road
Freeway
Study Area Limits
Municipality
Waterbody
Census Block's with no Residential Units
Local Road
Percent Minority
0%-12.5%
12.5%-25%
25%-37.5%
37.5%-50%
50%-62.5%
62.5%-75%
75%-87.5%
87.5%-100%
Exhibit 11. Minority Populations within the Study Area
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
26 Social Discipline Report
Persons identifying themselves as Hispanic (of any
race) represent 13.6 percent of residents in Tukwila
and 7.6 percent in Renton (see sidebar). Exhibit 12
illustrates where these populations occur within the
study area.
G r e e n R
i
v
e
r
C
e
d
ar
R
iv
er
Panther
Creek
Wetlands
SW 41st St
S W 3 4 t h S t
S W 2 7 t h S t
SW 16th St
Southcenter ParkwayW Valley HwyI
n
t
e
r
u
r
ban Ave SMa
pl
e
V
alley H
w
yRainier Ave SS
W
Sun s e t B lvdS W 7 t h S t
S W G r a d y W a y
Lind Ave SWTUKWILA
RENTON
S
pri
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Aç!"`$
Aí
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M0 0.25 0.5
Miles
Legend
Stream
Arterial Road
Freeway
Study Area Limits
Municipality
Waterbody
Percent Hispanic
Census Block's with no Residential Units
Local Road
0%-5%
5%-10%
10%-15%
15%-20%
20%-25%
25%-30%
30%-35%
Over 35%
Exhibit 12. Hispanic Population within the Study Area
Who is considered Hispanic/Latino?
This is a self-designated classification for
people whose origins are from Spain, the
Spanish-speaking countries of Central or
South America, the Caribbean, or those
identifying themselves generally as
Spanish, Spanish-American, etc. Origin
can be viewed as ancestry, nationality, or
country of birth of the person or person’s
parents or ancestors. Hispanic/Latino
persons may be of any race, White and
Non-White (Persons of Color).
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 27
The percentage of Tukwila housing units where
people rent represents a higher percentage of all
housing units (57.6 percent) than in Renton (50
percent). Exhibit 13 shows the concentrations of
renter occupancy.
G r e e n R
i
v
e
r
C
e
d
ar
Riv
er
Panther
Creek
Wetlands
SW 41st St
S W 3 4 t h S t
S W 2 7 t h S t
SW 16th St
Southcenter ParkwayW Valley HwyI
n
t
e
r
u
r
ban Ave SM
a
p
l
e
V
alley H
w
yRainier Ave SS
W
Sun s e t B lvdS W 7 t h S t
S W G r a d y W a y
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RENTON
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M0 0.25 0.5
Miles
Legend
Stream
Arterial Road
Freeway
Study Area Limits
Municipality
Waterbody
Census Block's with no Residential Units
Percent Renter Occupied
0%-12.5%
12.5%-25%
25%-37.5%
37.5%-50%
50%-62.5%
62.5%-75%
75%-87.5%
87.5%-100%
Local Road
Exhibit 13. Renter Occupancy within the Study Area
2000 Census information shows that nearly 14 percent
of households in Tukwila contain people age 65 years
or older. In Renton, over 17 percent of households
contain residents age 65 years or older. Households
with individuals under age 18 make up 31.1 percent of
households in Tukwila and 29.1 percent in Renton.
Exhibit 14 shows these elderly populations
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
28 Social Discipline Report
G r e e n R
i
v
e
r
C
e
d
ar
R
iv
er
Panther
Creek
Wetlands
SW 41st St
S W 3 4 t h S t
S W 2 7 t h S t
SW 16th St
Southcenter ParkwayW Valley HwyI
n
t
e
r
u
r
ban Ave SMa
p
l
e
V
alley H
w
yRainier Ave SS
W
Sun s e t B lvdS W 7 t h S t
S W G r a d y W a y
Lind Ave SWTUKWILA
RENTON
S
pri
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SAæ
Aç!"`$
Aí
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M0 0.25 0.5
Miles
Legend
Stream
Arterial Road
Freeway
Study Area Limits
Municipality
Waterbody
Percent Elderly
Census Block's with no Residential Units
Local Road
0%-12.5%
12.5%-25%
25%-37.5%
37.5%-50%
50%-62.5%
62.5%-75%
75%-87.5%
87.5-100%
Exhibit 14. Elderly Populations within the Study Area
The Environmental Justice Discipline Report for this
project analyzes and evaluates minority and low-
income populations and how they will be affected by
the project. Exhibits 11 and 15 illustrate these
populations within the study area.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 29
G r e e n R
i
v
e
r
C
e
d
ar
R
iv
e
r
Panther
Creek
Wetlands
SW 41st St
S W 3 4 t h S t
S W 2 7 t h S t
SW 16th St
Southcenter ParkwayW Valley HwyI
n
t
e
r
u
r
ban Ave SMa
pl
e
V
alley H
w
yRainier Ave SS
W
Sun s e t B lvdS W 7 t h S t
S W G r a d y W a y
Lind Ave SWTUKWILA
RENTON
S
pri
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g
br
ook CreekBenson Rd SSW 23rd St Talbot Rd SBenson Dr
SAæ
Aç!"`$
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M0 0.25 0.5
Miles
Legend
Stream
Arterial Road
Freeway
Study Area Limits
Municipality
Lake
Local Road
Percent Low Income (1999)
0%-2.5%
2.5%-5%
5%-7.5%
7.5%-10%
10%-12.5%
Over 12.5%
Exhibit 15. Low-income Populations within the Study Area
Exhibit 16 illustrates the distribution of disabled
persons within the study area. The Tukwila
neighborhoods and Renton west of SR 167 have the
lowest percentage of disabled persons. The South
Renton, Piazza Renton, and North Renton
neighborhoods have the highest percentage of
disabled persons (25 to 30 percent) compared to the
rest of the study area neighborhoods.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
30 Social Discipline Report
G r e e n R
i
v
e
r
C
e
d
ar
R
iv
e
r
Panther
Creek
Wetlands
SW 41st St
S W 3 4 t h S t
S W 2 7 t h S t
SW 16th St
Southcenter ParkwayW Valley HwyI
n
t
e
r
u
r
ban Ave SMa
pl
e
V
alley H
w
yRainier Ave SS
W
Sun s e t B lvdS W 7 t h S t
S W G r a d y W a y
Lind Ave SWTUKWILA
RENTON
S
pri
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g
br
ook CreekBenson Rd SSW 23rd St Talbot Rd SBenson Dr
SAæ
Aç!"`$
Aí
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M0 0.25 0.5
Miles
Legend
Stream
Arterial Road
Freeway
Study Area Limits
Municipality
Waterbody
Percent Disabled
10%-15%
15%-20%
20%-25%
25%-30%
Local Road
Exhibit 16. Disabled Population within the Study Area
What neighborhoods exist in the study area and what are
they like?
In Tukwila, areas within the study area with
predominantly multi-family housing and single-family
housing are shown in Exhibit 10. However, Tukwila,
unlike Renton, does not have an organized
neighborhood program, so no neighborhood names
are shown in Exhibit 10 in the Tukwila study area.
The neighborhoods in Renton that are organized
under the city’s neighborhood program are shown on
Exhibit 10.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 31
Exhibit 17 shows the various public services and
community resources within the study area. These
community resources and public services contribute to
the overall well being of residents in Tukwila and
Renton and to the overall sense of community. More
details about the existing public services in the study
area can be found in the Public Services Discipline
Report.
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Riv
er
Panther
Creek
Wetlands
Black River
Riparian Forest
Fort
Dent
Park
Cedar
River
Park
Liberty
Park
SW 41st St
S W 3 4 t h S t
S W 2 7 t h S t
SW 16th St
Southcenter ParkwayW Valley HwyI
n
t
e
r
u
r
ban Ave SMa
p
le
V
alley H
w
yRainier Ave SS
W
Sun s e t B lvdS W 7 t h S t
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South
Treatment
Plant
U.S. Healthworks
Bagby Chiropractic
Mount Rainier Kidney Center
AdultCare of Renton
PacMed
Clinics
All-Care
Medical
Clinic
Salvation Army
Renton Corps
Community Ctr.
Mt. Olivet
Cemetery
I-405
Southern
Project Limit
at I-5
SR 167
Southern
Project Limit
at SW 41st St
I-405
Northern
Project Limit
at SR 169
AÇ
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Renton
High
School
Tukwila Elementary School
Talbot Hill
Elementary School
Sartori School
St. Anthony's
Renton Lutheran Church
Renton City Hall
Tukwila City Hall & Tukwila
Offices of Human Services
Renton Community Center
Station 14
Station 11
Valley
Medical
Center
Valley
Medical
Clinics
Group Health
Cooperative
Services
Renton Area Youth
Family Services
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Miles
Legend
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Study Area Limits
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Lake
Park
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Exhibit 17. Public Services and Community Resources within the Study Area
Many social resources, such as schools, community
centers, and health care facilities, are not specific to
particular neighborhoods, but residents from the larger
Tukwila and Renton communities use these
resources. Some of the available recreational facilities
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
32 Social Discipline Report
attract users throughout the region, such as the
Interurban Trail and the pool at Renton’s Cedar River
Park.
Shopping generally is not located in these
neighborhoods. Instead, residents travel to
commercial areas located to shop for groceries and
other retail goods. Some of these commercial areas
are located in the study area, including the
Southcenter Mall area the Grady Way area. Other
nearby shopping that serves some of the study area
residents is located at the Benson Highway/Carr Road
intersection. Most residents likely travel by car,
although the Renton Hill, North Renton, Piazza
Renton, and South Renton neighborhoods are within
walking distance to downtown Renton where
supermarkets and other businesses are located.
Community/neighborhood cohesion
Physical elements of the neighborhoods that promote
social interactions between residents contribute to
community cohesion. Parks, for example, often provide
areas for children to play and parents have opportunities
to socialize. Park benches and tables, walking paths,
swings, and other constructed play areas are cohesive
elements that contribute to a sense of neighborhood
through promoting casual social interactions.
Schools, too, provide a center of social interaction
within a neighborhood, particularly elementary
schools, which may be more closely associated with a
neighborhood than middle or high schools.
Community social resources, such as the Renton
Senior Center, serve more than the North Renton
neighborhood where it is located. Such widely used
social resources, including Renton High School, serve
a larger community and help promote community
identity at a scale beyond the neighborhood.
Other physical features that help define social
interactions and cohesion in neighborhoods include the
road system and development patterns. A neighborhood
pattern dominated by detached single-family homes
where homeowners live may promote knowing one’s
neighbors more than neighborhoods where people rent
and tend to move out more frequently. The circular
arrangement of homes facing each other in cul-de-sacs,
along with sidewalks and less traffic, may promote a
greater sense of neighborhood. In the Tukwila
neighborhoods north of I-405, topography has influenced
development, leading to curvy roads with a relatively
Sartori Elementary School, North Renton
Tukwila Park entrance
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 33
large number of dead end streets. Less traffic on dead
end streets, as with cul-de-sacs, may promote informal
social interactions of neighbors out for a walk.
Other neighborhoods have city programs that tend to
organize them. The Neighborhood Program in Renton
is city-sponsored and formalized through a set of
qualifying requirements. Recognized neighborhoods
organize annual picnics with some city resources being
provided. The neighborhoods also serve as a conduit
for community input on city issues that affect them.
Most neighborhoods in the study also have local
government sponsored crime watch programs.
Residents are organized through the program’s
activities to meet their neighbors, exchange phone
numbers, and commit to being alert to suspicious
activities that may be occurring in the neighborhood.
Access to community social resources, such as parks,
health care centers, and community services, is
important to residents. Sidewalks, crosswalks, and
signals at busy streets may facilitate access to social
resources. Walkable communities provide the
opportunity for chance contacts with neighbors. Trails
that connect residential areas or commercial areas
create important social contact opportunities for many
people.
Tukwila neighborhoods
Tukwila residential neighborhoods are a mix of dense,
small-town residential areas and newer suburban
areas, according to Tukwila’s 1995 Comprehensive
Plan. The principal residential areas within the
Tukwila study area include single-family and
multifamily areas north of I-405 between I-5 and
Interurban Avenue. Additional residential use exists
west of the I-5/I-405 interchange.
Topography north of I-405 results in prominent views
of the Green River Valley, including I-405, from
residential areas on the hill slopes, especially the
multifamily developments prevalent in these areas.
Within these neighborhoods, the hilly topography limits
roads and dictates some limits on development.
Natural wooded areas and winding roads with dead
ends also contribute to the residential development
patterns in the neighborhoods.
Exhibit 10 shows the locations of multifamily and
single-family residential uses in the study area.
Generally, multifamily residential areas border the
Multifamily development in Tukwila on
hill north of I-405
Footbridge to Teasdale Park over Benson
Drive provides pedestrian access
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
34 Social Discipline Report
I-5/I-405 interchange. Commercial and multifamily
uses tend to provide a buffer between the single-
family residential areas and I-405 and I-5. Other parts
of the study area within Tukwila have very limited or
no residential use.
The Tukwila Comprehensive Plan notes that some of
its residential areas have a high turnover rate, which it
states contributes to a lack of community identity and
involvement. Exhibit 13 illustrates the relatively high
percentage of rental units in most of the Tukwila
portion of the study area. This concentration of rental
units could contribute to the relatively high residential
turnover rate noted in the Comprehensive Plan. The
Comprehensive Plan provides a variety of land use
and development policies for Tukwila’s neighborhoods
with the goal of protecting and enhancing the sense of
community.
Exhibits 11 and 12 show that the minority and
Hispanic population percentages within the Tukwila
portion of the study area reflect Tukwila as a whole.
Tukwila Elementary School occupies a portion of the
Tukwila neighborhood within the study area as shown on
Exhibit 17. For families whose children attend, the
school represents an important social resource within the
community. The school grounds contain play equipment,
and baseball, soccer, and basketball facilities.
Renton neighborhoods
Renton's Neighborhood Program promotes positive
interaction between the City and its residents. The
program supports recognized neighborhoods through
a team of City employees who serve as volunteer
liaisons. The program also administers Neighborhood
Grants, which provide matching funds for small
neighborhood improvement projects, and
Neighborhood Picnics, in cooperation with recognized
neighborhood groups. Exhibit 10 shows that several
Renton neighborhoods are at least partly within the
study area. Brief descriptions of these follow.
North Renton
The North Renton neighborhood extends north of the
Cedar River and west of I-405 and commercial uses
adjacent to the freeway. On the west and north, the
neighborhood abuts industrial land uses as shown in
Exhibit 10. The neighborhood is one of the older Renton
neighborhoods. Single-family homes line the majority of
the streets in the neighborhood. Smaller multifamily
North Renton neighborhood with single-
family homes
Tukwila Elementary School
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 35
units occur at some locations. The Sartori Elementary
School is located in this neighborhood. Housing consists
of a mix of rental units and units occupied by their
owners similar to the City as a whole, but with pockets of
rental units at higher percentages as shown in Exhibit 13.
Exhibit 17 shows that the Renton Senior Center is in
North Renton adjacent to the Cedar River. This
neighborhood has a Neighborhood Watch program.
Piazza Renton
The Piazza Renton downtown neighborhood abuts the
west side of the Cedar River and extends west to
industrial uses, including the Renton Airport. Renton
High School is a prominent feature drawing students
from throughout the City and influencing local
businesses. Older single-family homes exist in the
neighborhood along with multifamily apartments.
Redevelopment has added a substantial number of new
apartment units, the Renton Regional Transit Center, a
park-and-ride, parks and open-space areas, and
commercial structures. Developers have proposed
additional apartments and condominium units.
South Renton
The South Renton neighborhood lies south of
downtown Renton. One of the older Renton
neighborhoods, it has experienced some new
multifamily development. Per Exhibit 13, relatively
high numbers of rental housing units occur in the
South Renton neighborhood along with single-family
houses occupied by their owners. The new transit
center in downtown Renton and a park-and-ride facility
between the neighborhood and I-405 provide good
access to transit. The Spirit of Washington Dinner
Train terminal borders the north side of the
neighborhood.
Monterey Terrace
The Monterey Terrace neighborhood lies on the hill
northeast of the project terminus east of I-405 and
north of SR 169. Spectacular views, particularly
toward the west and northwest, represent an important
feature of the neighborhood. The neighborhood is
built around a loop road with access to NE 3rd Street
at the north end. Single-family houses are located
along the loop road and one additional street within
the loop. The neighborhood contains no multifamily
development or commercial uses.
View to northwest from Monterey
Terrace Neighborhood
Multifamily housing, Piazza Renton
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
36 Social Discipline Report
Renton Hill
The Renton Hill neighborhood lies immediately east of
I-405 on slopes that extend up from the freeway. The
primary access to the neighborhood occurs on two
steep overpasses across the freeway. Narrow streets
with older single-family houses characterize the
neighborhood adjacent to I-405. Many of the houses
appear to have undergone remodeling in recent years.
Prominent views to the north and west exist toward
Lake Washington and the Green River Valley,
respectively.
Talbot Hill
The Talbot Hill neighborhood extends south of I-405
and southeast of the SR 167/I-405 interchange. Single-
family homes dominate the Talbot Hill neighborhood.
Older homes with larger yards coexist with newer
pocket development of new homes. The Panther Creek
wetland provides a buffer between SR 167 and single-
family residences along the west side of the
neighborhood. Benson Drive provides principal access
to downtown Renton and I-405 to the north.
Valley Vue
The Valley Vue neighborhood lies south of the Talbot
Hill neighborhood between SR 167 and Benson Drive.
Single-family homes with a mix of older and newer
homes exist on hill slopes. The Talbot Hill Elementary
School provides elementary education for children
from the neighborhood, as well as adjacent
neighborhoods, Talbot Hill, Victoria Park, and east of
Benson Drive. A footbridge provides access to the
school and adjacent Thomas Teasdale Park across
Benson Drive. Talbot Road provides primary access
north and south from the neighborhood.
Victoria Park
The Victoria Park neighborhood lies south of the
Valley Vue neighborhood. Talbot Road provides
access north and south for the Victoria Park
development. Like other homes in neighborhoods
along the east side of SR 167, many homes in the
Victoria Park neighborhood have views to the west of
the Green River Valley and the Olympic Mountains. A
planned development, the Victoria Park neighborhood
consists of newer single-family homes built along a
primary loop with cul-de-sacs and two accesses to
Talbot Road.
Renton Hill neighborhood across I-405
New Talbot Hill house with views
across Green River Valley
Toward Green River Valley from Valley
Vue neighborhood
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 37
What parks and other recreational facilities are provided
in the study area?
Tukwila and Renton offer a variety of parks and other
recreational facilities within the study area. Also, King
County provides regional trails that cross I-405 within
the study area. Exhibit 18 shows parks and trails
located within the study area.
G r e en R
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Interurban TrailCedar River Interpretive Trail
Panther
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Wetlands
Green River TrailSW 41st St
S W 3 4 t h S t
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SW 16th St
Southcenter ParkwayW Valley HwyI
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Sun s e t B lvdS W 7 t h S t
S W G r a d y W a y
Lind Ave SWTUKWILA
RENTON
I-405
Northern
Project Limit
at SR 169
I-405
Southern
Project Limit
at I-5
SR 167
Southern
Project Limit
at SW 41st St
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Tukwila Park
Ikawa Park
Crystal
Springs Park
Phillip
Arnold
Park
Thomas
Teasdale
Park
Talbot Hill Reservoir Park
Lake Street Park
Talbot Rd STukwila
Pond
Waterworks
Gardens
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Lower
Talbot
Hill
Park
Windsor
Hills
Park
Narco
Site
Freeway
Park
Liberty
Park Cedar
River
Park
Black River
Riparian Forest
Fort
Dent
Park
M0 0.25 0.5
Miles
Legend
Stream
Paved Regional Trail
Arterial Road
Freeway
Municipality
Lake
Park
Renton
Tukwila
Study Area Limits
Local Road
Exhibit 18. Recreational Facilities within the Study Area
Additional small neighborhood parks also provide
open space in some neighborhoods. Brief
descriptions of these parks and trails follow. The
Section 4(f) Discipline Report provides additional
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
38 Social Discipline Report
information about the parks and recreational facilities,
including funding sources.
Crystal Springs Park
An 11-acre City of Tukwila park, Crystal Springs Park
provides picnic, walking, tennis, and children’s play
facilities. The park provides parking and restrooms.
Tukwila Park
Established in the 1930s, the 6.5-acre Tukwila Park
provides tennis courts, children’s play areas,
picnicking, horseshoes, basketball, overlooks, and a
gazebo/picnic shelter.
Ikawa Park
Ikawa Park is a passive City of Tukwila park.
Composed of a Japanese garden, koi pond and
waterfall, it is situated on 0.2 acres approximately 200
feet north of the I-405 right-of-way.
Duwamish/Green River Trail
The Duwamish/Green River Trail provides a link
through Tukwila that connects with King County's trail
to the north and the Kent trails to the south. Through
Tukwila, the trail is 8.4 miles of twelve-foot paved trail
with soft shoulders for jogging. Landscaping, wildlife
habitat enhancement, picnic tables, and benches
enhance the recreational experience along the trail.
Monster Road Trail
This City of Renton-designated trail is a bike route that
shares Monster Road and connects at its north end
with the Oakesdale Trail and at the south end under
I-405 with the SW 16th Street Trail, which also is a
designated bike route on the city street.
Interurban Trail
The Tukwila section of the Interurban Trail provides
nearly three miles of paved walking/biking trail with
picnic tables and a river view. The trail crosses under
I-405 at the SR 181 Bridge and connects to the Green
Tukwila Park
Interurban Trail where it passes under
I-405
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 39
River Trail about one-half mile south of I-405. North of
I-405, the Interurban Trail joins the Green River Trail.
Springbrook Trail
Springbrook Trail follows Springbrook Creek within the
south industrial area of Renton. The paved trail
connects activity nodes or “mini parks” at select points
and appeals to the office, commercial, and industrial
employees who work in the area north and south of
I-405. The trail edge is landscaped and has trimmed
grass areas. At its north end, the trail connects to the
Waterworks Gardens, adjacent to the South
Treatment Plant, and the Black River Riparian Forest.
Freeway Park
Freeway Park sits adjacent to I-405 between the
Cedar Street and Renton Avenue overpasses to
Renton Hill. WSDOT created this small passive park
with landscaping, walking paths, and sitting areas as
part of recent I-405 improvements.
Narco Community Park (proposed)
The master plan for the 15-acre park site proposes to
develop an active recreation facility with soccer fields,
restroom/shelter building, trails, and parking for 100 to
150 vehicles. An existing pedestrian bridge, which
accommodates the Cedar River Interpretive Trail, links
the site to Renton’s Cedar River Park. A trailhead and
parking currently exist for the Cedar River Trail. The
City of Renton has placed a high priority on
developing this park.
Cedar River Trail
The Cedar River Trail System extends five miles from
Lake Washington east to the City of Renton boundary
and then continues south and east as part of King
County’s regional trail system. The trail follows an old
railroad right-of-way from downtown Renton to King
County’s Landsburg Park. This system serves as a
physical link to a series of parks along the Cedar River
corridor. This trail begins at Cedar River Trail Park on
Lake Washington at the mouth of the Cedar River, and
includes Jones Park, Liberty Park, Cedar River Park,
Maplewood Park, Cedar Grove Natural Area, and
Landsburg Park. The trail is paved for approximately
six miles, from downtown Renton south to 196th
View along Springbrook Trail
Freeway Park
Cedar River Interpretive Trail in North Renton
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
40 Social Discipline Report
Avenue SE/Jones Road; south of this point, the trail is
crushed gravel.
Cedar River Park
Cedar River Park is a 23-acre Renton community park
situated between I-405 to the west, the Maple Valley
Highway to the north, the Stoneway Cement Plant to
the east, and the Cedar River to the south. The City
of Renton acquired the park in 1966. Specific park
elements include the:
Carco Theater
Renton Community Center
Henry Moses Aquatic Center
Park maintenance facilities
Multi-use sports field
Cedar River shoreline (750 feet)
Picnic facilities
Parking
Other recreation elements include Cedar River
Trail access, restrooms, and park landscaping.
Vehicular access to the park includes the main access
off of the Maple Valley Highway and a secondary
access from Houser Way that crosses underneath
I-405 and the BNSF railroad track.
Liberty Park
Renton's oldest park, the City of Renton purchased
the 12-acre Liberty Park from the Sartori family in
1914. First known as City Park, the City changed the
name to Liberty Park to commemorate World War I.
Liberty Park has continued to be the City's major park
and playfield area. It also serves as the venue for the
annual Fourth of July festivities and the Renton River
Days celebration. The park is located adjacent to the
City’s central core, between the Cedar River to the
south, Houser Way to the east, and Bronson Way to
the north and west. The City of Renton Library is
located centrally along the south property line and is
seamless with the park. Specific park elements
include:
Gianini Stadium is a baseball and softball
complex that includes a 930-seat grandstand,
Renton Community Center in Cedar River
Park
Gianini Stadium in Liberty Park
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 41
restrooms, a concession area, and locker
rooms. The field is adjacent to Houser Way.
The park also contains Wilcoxen Field and
bleachers, a second baseball and softball field.
The Skate Park is about 8,400 square feet and
includes obstacles for varying degrees of
ability. The Skate Park is in the southeast
corner of the park adjacent to Houser Way and
the Cedar River Trail.
Panther Creek Open Space (proposed)
The Panther Creek Open Space area consists of 73
acres of wetlands and steep hillsides. The area is
located directly east of SR 167, extending from I-405
to South 200th Street. The City’s Public Works
Department has plans to develop this area into a
water retention area. The development plans include
increasing the depth of wetlands, forming islands, and
introducing native wetland species. This development
creates several opportunities for passive recreation.
Proposed facilities include boardwalk/interpretive
trails, viewpoint areas/vistas, and upland trail system.
Thomas Teasdale Park
Adjacent to the Talbot Hill Elementary School,
Thomas Teasdale Park provides a baseball field;
children’s play equipment; outdoor basketball court;
and areas for passive enjoyment and walking. A
footbridge connects the park to neighborhoods across
Benson Road.
Other Parks
Several additional small parks occur in the study area,
including Phillip Arnold Park, Lake Street Park, Lower
Talbot Hill Park, and Talbot Hill Reservoir Park.
These parks provide open space and limited
recreational facilities. They are important amenities
for the neighborhoods in which they are found.
Thomas Teasdale Park
How do passive recreation and active
recreation differ?
Passive recreational activities
include such things as walking,
nature watching, picnicking, and
other less intensive recreational
activities.
Active recreational activities include
swimming, baseball, tennis,
basketball, soccer, and football.
Facility development for passive and
active recreational activities differ
substantially in the required capital
investment.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
42 Social Discipline Report
What pedestrian, bicyclist, and transit facilities exist in the
study area?
Pedestrian and bicyclist facilities include the regional
trails shown in Exhibit 18, including the Green River
Trail, Interurban Trail, Springbrook Trail, and the
Cedar River Interpretive Trail. Within the study area,
these trails provide paved surfaces for walking and
biking.
Dedicated bike lanes on city streets in Tukwila and
Renton are limited. Some streets offer wide curb
lanes and paved shoulders, but heavy street traffic
limits the suitability of streets such as SW Grady Way
for bicycle traffic. Many urban streets provide
sidewalks, crosswalks, and signals to accommodate
pedestrians.
A new transit center in downtown Renton provides
good access to and from the downtown
neighborhoods and businesses. A park-and-ride
located between downtown and I-405 off of SW Grady
Way provides coordinated transit service.
Do local comprehensive plans and policies call for more
pedestrian, bicyclist, and transit facilities?
The I-405 Team’s review of City of Tukwila planning
information identified no new parks or trails in the
Tukwila portion of the study area.
The City of Renton plans to extend and/or complete
several trails for pedestrians and bicyclists in the
vicinity of I-405. These trails include the Oakesdale
Trail, Burnett Trail, Benson Road Trail, and the
Thunder Hills Creek Trail. Most of these are bike
lanes and/or sidewalks sharing city street right of way
and are not separate facilities. Brief descriptions of
the Renton’s proposed trails follow.
Oakesdale Trail (proposed)
The proposed trail follows Oakesdale Avenue from the
Black River Forest south along Oakesdale Avenue to
SW 43rd Street. The proposed trail would extend the
existing sidewalk/bike lane in the middle section of the
proposed route.
Renton Transit Center in Downtown
Renton
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 43
Burnett Trail (proposed)
Existing portions of the Burnett Trail follow the existing
Burnett Linear Park located along Burnett Avenue (the
old Pacific Coast Railroad corridor) from SW Grady
Way to downtown Renton. The proposed trail
sections will extend the trail north to the Cedar River
and south under I-405 along Talbot Road to Puget
Drive.
Benson Road Trail (proposed)
The proposed trail follows Benson Road north from SE
166 Street to Main Avenue S north of I-405. From
Main Avenue S, the trail will follow 3rd Street south to
Mill Avenue where it will connect to the Cedar River
trailhead.
Thunder Hills Creek Trail (proposed)
The existing trail follows Thunder Hills Creek from
Puget Drive (the Cascade Trail) north to its terminus at
I-405. The trail is a rough surface trail suitable for
pedestrian use. The City proposes to extend the trail
north to intersect with the Benson Trail along Main
Avenue S.
Narco and Panther Creek sites
The City also proposes to improve two currently
owned sites—the Narco Community Park site and the
Panther Creek Wetlands site—to provide recreational
facilities. The Panther Creek site will provide passive
recreational opportunities, including trails, within the
73-acre site. The Narco Community Park site will
provide active recreation and connection to the
existing Cedar River Trail, which passes through the
site. The City of Renton has begun developing the
Master Plan for the Narco site in conjunction with
Liberty Park and Cedar Park.
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 44
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES
Why should the community be involved in the project?
Knowing who lives within the study area represents a
first step in understanding the social characteristics of
a neighborhood. Reviewing census information, such
as racial and ethnic composition, numbers of elderly,
income, language, only partially describes a
neighborhood and how it might be affected by the
project. These descriptions, however, provide insight
into how WSDOT should reach out to members of the
public, community organizations, and local
governmental officials to achieve a meaningful public
involvement process. In addition to helping the project
fit community needs, these public involvement efforts
help achieve compliance with NEPA, SEPA, and other
applicable laws and regulations.
Public involvement provides opportunities for
community members to understand the project needs
and provides early and continuing opportunities for
meaningful involvement in project decision-making.
Making these contacts provides information and
perspectives that cannot be obtained from assessing
census statistics alone.
The I-405 Team developed an extensive public
involvement plan seeking to educate and inform the
public and encourage participation. During earlier
phases of the I-405 Corridor Program, WSDOT held a
series of public meetings, sent out a program
newsletter, hosted a speaker’s bureau, set up and
maintained a project Web site, and ran an active
media relations campaign. The I-405 Team for the
Renton Nickel Improvement Project developed a
Public Involvement Plan and will continue to involve
and inform the public and agencies as this project
progresses. As part of this, the I-405 Team held two
scoping meetings, one for the public and one for
federal/state/local agencies and tribes.
The I-405 Team has made efforts to reach low-income
and minority communities in the study area. The team
contacted a number of social service organizations
that serve minorities, refugees, immigrants, and
economically disadvantaged persons to obtain
information relevant to the project. The Environmental
Justice Discipline Report provides details on the public
What is project scoping?
A scoping meeting is designed to:
Inform the public and agencies of
proposed actions and alternatives.
Serve as a forum to gather comments
to help identify potential
environmental impacts.
Ensure that the environmental
documents consider reasonable
alternatives.
Help identify issues or concerns to
promote a focus on items important
to the local community and to
agencies.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 45
outreach and study results related to low-income and
minority populations.
What types of outreach are being used?
The Renton Nickel Public Involvement Plan builds on
the public involvement program established for the
I-405 Corridor Program. This program includes on-
going public outreach through public meetings, a
program newsletter, an extensive speakers bureau, a
project website, and an active media relations
program. All public meetings were accessible by
transit and extensively publicized through the project’s
database of interested and affected citizens and civic
organizations.
The I-405 Team interviewed a number of local
community services agencies that provide services to
low-income, minority, disabled, and other
disadvantaged clients. The I-405 team conducted
these interviews to determine how the project might
affect the agencies and what they think might be done
to reduce effects on their activities. Results from the
interviews can be found in the Renton Nickel
Environmental Justice Discipline Report.
WSDOT held a scoping meeting for the public on
January 27 between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. WSDOT also
held a scoping meeting two days earlier for
federal/state/local agencies and tribes. The public
scoping meeting provided business owners, residents,
and other interested people an opportunity to learn
about the project and to ask questions, voice
concerns, and present other comments to the project
team. WSDOT compiled the comments received from
the public, tribes, and agencies in a scoping report.
This report is available on the project website:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/i405/WestValleytoM
apleValley.
Are there ongoing public involvement activities?
The public involvement team will continue to conduct
outreach throughout the Renton Nickel Improvement
Project, including design and construction. Planned
activities include continued involvement of the Tukwila
and Renton Advisory Committees. These committees
will focus on corridor-wide issues and the Renton
Nickel Improvement Project, such as how and where
to apply context sensitive solutions (CSS).
What outreach activities have occurred
or are planned?
Renton Charrette held
Scoping Meeting with
Federal/State/Local Agencies and
Tribes held January 25, 2005
Public Scoping Open House held
January 27, 2005
Renton Advisory Committee meetings
Tukwila Advisory Committee
meetings
Neighborhood Meetings
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
46 Social Discipline Report
The Renton Nickel Improvement Project Public
Involvement Plan identifies a number of ongoing
activities that will be conducted throughout the
project’s life, including:
Property owner briefings
Media releases
Maintenance of the project website
Speakers bureau
Neighborhood briefings
Tukwila and Renton staff briefings
Mailing list maintenance
Environmental open houses and hearings
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 47
POTENTIAL EFFECTS
How were effects on social resources determined?
In evaluating the project’s effects on social resources,
the I-405 Team followed the guidance provided in the
WSDOT 2004 Environmental Procedures Manual
(EPM). The I-405 Team examined preliminary design
plans, which show the project footprint, including
where widening and other facilities will be located.
The team considered two main areas:
Whether property acquisitions would occur and
if so, how might that affect social resources
and social interactions within the study area
Whether project effects on other resources,
such as noise, air quality, and traffic, might
affect social resources and social interactions
within the study area.
Using this information, the I-405 Team evaluated the
potential positive and negative effects on community
or neighborhood cohesion and social interaction. The
analysis also considered how the project would affect
access to social resources, such as parks, community
centers, and social services located outside the
neighborhoods.
Will project construction temporarily affect
neighborhoods and community resources?
Neighborhoods
Project construction will have negligible overall effects
on cohesion and social interactions within
neighborhoods adjacent to I-405 and SR 167.
WSDOT does not anticipate that any temporary
construction effects will alter the characteristics of
existing neighborhoods and social interactions within
the neighborhoods. The project will not separate or
isolate neighborhoods or parts of neighborhoods and
will not displace any housing. In addition, the
proposed construction project will not affect population
characteristics within the study area neighborhoods.
Access to the Renton Hill neighborhood across I-405
on two existing overpasses will not be modified by the
project. The two structures will remain.
What effects are considered for Social
Resources?
The WSDOT Environmental Procedures
Manual methodology considers direct and
indirect effects such as:
Effects on community life, persons,
and groups
Changes in social
relationships/patterns
Isolation of a community
Changes in population
Changes in street circulation
patterns
Separation of residences from
community facilities and adjoining
residential areas
Increase in automobile dependency
Effects on affordable and accessible
housing
POTENTIAL EFFECTS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
48 Social Discipline Report
Construction noise levels will increase temporarily at
residences adjacent to I-405 and SR 167. Night work
may be needed at times. Because these noise effects
will be temporary and localized, they will have no
substantial negative effect on the cohesiveness of
neighborhoods or the social interactions of residents
within these neighborhoods. The Noise and Vibration
Discipline Report discusses these effects in more detail.
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA)
regulations require the control of dust during
construction and measures to prevent deposition of
mud on paved streets. To comply with these
regulations, WSDOT will use best management
practices (BMPs). These and other measures
described in the Construction Mitigation section of the
I-405 Corridor Programmatic EIS and summarized in
the Renton Nickel Improvement Project Air Quality
Discipline Report will minimize the amount of fugitive
dust generated by construction activities and will
minimize effects on residents.
According to the Air Quality Discipline Report, heavy
trucks and construction equipment powered by gasoline
and diesel engines will generate carbon monoxide and
nitrogen oxide in exhaust emissions, as well as
particulates. If construction activities reduce the speed
of other vehicles in the area, then emissions from traffic
will increase while those vehicles are delayed or idling.
Some phases of construction will result in short-term
odors, particularly where asphalt paving is used.
Odors might be detectable to some people near the
construction site. These odors will be diluted as
distance from the site increases.
Dust and odors from construction vehicles and paving
will be temporary and localized. Because of this,
WSDOT does not anticipate any substantial effects on
neighborhood cohesion or social interactions.
Replacing the Benson Road overpass will change how
residents of seven homes access their homes on the
east side of Benson Road, south of the existing
overpass both during and after construction.
Currently, a broad, flat shoulder allows vehicles to
access Benson Road and park without curb or
driveway controls. During construction, a barrier will
be placed along the east side of Benson Road
preventing uncontrolled access to and from Benson
Road. A frontage driveway may be created behind the
barrier. This driveway would give access onto South
Eagle Ridge Drive just below its intersection with
The project will change access for seven
homes that currently have access to and
from Benson Road using a flat shoulder
POTENTIAL EFFECTS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 49
Benson Road. South Eagle Ridge Drive also serves
as an entrance to the Berkshire Apartments.
Residents of these homes will experience several
months of nearby construction activities while work
crews construct the new Benson Road overpass.
During final design and construction, WSDOT will meet
with these residents to discuss changes in access to
their homes and what to expect during construction.
Community services
I-405 public involvement staff conducted interviews with
staff at over 10 community services agencies that
operate in Tukwila, Renton, and south King County.
These agencies serve residents of the study area and
surrounding communities and provide a variety of social
services, such as food banks, emergency services,
shelters, long-term home care, counseling, drug
rehabilitation, employment counseling and placement,
and English as a second language classes.
Based on the interviews, the main concerns identified
by community services staff revolved around existing
and anticipated traffic congestion on local streets, I-405,
and SR 167. Many of the agencies’ clients and staff
need to travel through the study area on I-405 and
SR 167, and along local streets in Tukwila and Renton,
depending on the origins and destinations of their trips.
WSDOT anticipates that construction on I-405 and
SR 167 will affect traffic by temporarily increasing travel
times through construction work zones.
Temporary traffic disruptions may occur during
construction on local arterials, especially where I-405
bridges need to be replaced or widened (e.g., Oakesdale
Avenue and Talbot Road). Construction for these
bridges will likely involve traffic management, temporary
lane narrowing, and construction-related truck traffic.
Parks and trails
WSDOT does not anticipate that the project will have
any substantial effects on any of the identified parks
within the study area. These parks are located
outside of the project footprint and effects related to
noise, dust, and traffic are expected to be minor,
localized, and temporary. A number of existing and
proposed trails, however, cross I-405. The following
sections summarize anticipated effects that
construction will have on existing and proposed trails.
POTENTIAL EFFECTS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
50 Social Discipline Report
Green River Trail
The I-405 bridge over the trail and Green River will not
be widened or replaced. New retaining walls on the
south and north sides of I-405 will stop short of the
Green River Trail. The project will not change the
current area of the trail, but depending on how
WSDOT accesses the retaining wall construction area
next to the trail, construction could have temporary
effects. If all work occurred behind the existing
retaining wall along the west side of the trail, trail use
would not be affected.
Interurban Trail
WSDOT does not plan to widen or replace the I-405
bridge across Interurban Avenue (SR 181) and the
Interurban Trail. Lanes will be added on I-405 by
restriping. WSDOT anticipates no effects on the
Interurban Trail facility or its use by bicyclists and
pedestrians.
Springbrook Trail
The Springbrook Trail crosses under I-405 immediately
west of Springbrook Creek. Due to the existing
relatively low vertical clearance of the I-405 Bridge, the
trail likely will need to be closed and detoured during
construction to replace the structure. Trail use north
and south of the construction zone will be unaffected.
A drainage pipe will be placed across the trail from the
potential staging area south of I-405 to Springbrook
Creek. Trail use will be temporarily disturbed while
the pipe is installed.
A detention pond will be built adjacent to the trail
between I-405 and SW Grady Way. Construction of
the pond could temporarily affect trail use. Trail use
will also be disturbed temporarily to install an outlet
pipe from the pond across the trail.
Oakesdale Trail (proposed by City of Renton)
The proposed trail is a designated route on Oakesdale
Avenue from the Black River Forest south to SW 43rd
Street. The proposed trail consists of the existing
sidewalk and bike lane in the middle section of the
proposed route. Replacing the I-405 bridge over
Oakesdale Avenue will temporarily affect pedestrians
and bicyclists crossing under I-405 through the
construction area. The detour that will be provided for
the Springbrook Trail could also accommodate the
Green River Trail and retaining wall
The Springbrook Trail has limited vertical
clearance under I-405
POTENTIAL EFFECTS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 51
Oakesdale Trail bicycle and pedestrian traffic
temporarily during construction. The improvements will
not prevent the City from completing this proposed trail.
Monster Road Trail
WSDOT does not plan to replace or widen the bridge
over the BNSF tracks and Monster Road. The Renton
Nickel Improvement Project will not affect use of the
designated bike routes along Monster Road or SW
16th Street. These routes could serve as a bike
detour if the Springbrook Trail needs to be closed
temporarily during construction.
Burnett Trail (existing and proposed by City of
Renton)
Existing portions of the Burnett Trail follow the existing
Burnett Linear Park located along Burnett Avenue (the
old Pacific Coast Railroad corridor) from SW Grady
Way to downtown Renton. The proposed trail
sections will extend the trail north to the Cedar River
and south under I-405 along Talbot Road to Puget
Drive. Widening the existing I-405 bridge over Talbot
Road will affect traffic; however, traffic management
will be provided to maintain traffic, including
pedestrian and bicycle traffic along Talbot Road.
Widening the Talbot Road Bridge will not interfere with
the City’s plans to extend the trail.
Benson Road Trail (proposed by City of Renton)
The proposed trail follows Benson Road north from SE
166 Street to Main Avenue north of I-405. From Main
Avenue, the trail will follow 3rd Street south to Mill
Avenue where it will connect to the Cedar River
trailhead. The proposed Benson Road overpass will
be consistent with the City of Renton’s proposal to
provide a trail on Benson Road by providing a
sidewalk and bike lanes on the west side. The
existing overpass lacks a designated bike lane;
however, it includes a sidewalk on the west side.
Temporary construction congestion will occur at the
Benson Road overpass; however, traffic across I-405
at Benson Road, including the pedestrian sidewalk,
will be maintained during construction, except for
possible short closures to connect the new bridge to
the roadway approaches.
POTENTIAL EFFECTS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
52 Social Discipline Report
Thunder Hills Creek Trail (existing and
proposed by City of Renton)
The existing trail follows Thunder Hills Creek from
Puget Drive (the Cascade Trail) north to its terminus at
I-405. The trail is a rough surface trail suitable for
pedestrian use. The City proposes to extend the trail
north to intersect with the Benson Trail along Benson
Road. Project construction will have no effect on the
existing Thunder Hills Creek Trail.
Will the project permanently affect neighborhoods and
community resources?
WSDOT’s analysis shows that neighborhood integrity
will remain intact during operation of the proposed
project because neighborhoods in the vicinity of I-405
are already well established and will not be altered or
isolated. Access to community facilities, services, and
recreational areas will remain unchanged. Pedestrian
and bicycle facilities will also remain accessible.
The transportation analysis for city street intersections
shows that levels of service will be similar with the
project or without the project. Because of this, the I-405
Team does not anticipate any traffic problems that will
negatively affect neighborhood access, cohesion, or
social interactions. Refer to the Transportation
Discipline Report for more details on traffic conditions in
the study area now and in the future.
WSDOT anticipates improvements in speed and the
number of vehicle that can use the I-405 mainline
compared to the No Build Alternative. These traffic
benefits will improve commute times for community
services staff and other users of I-405.
Will there be effects on neighborhoods if the project is not
built?
Without the proposed project, the study area and
regional users of I-405 and SR 167 would not
experience the traffic benefits that would occur with
the project. Because local traffic would be similar with
and without the Renton Nickel Improvement project,
no substantial effects on neighborhoods or access to
community resources would occur if the project were
not built.
POTENTIAL EFFECTS
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 53
Will the project indirectly affect neighborhoods and
community services?
Indirect effects are defined in the WSDOT
Environmental Procedures Manual as the “effect
caused by the proposed action that is later in time or
farther removed in distance, but still reasonably
foreseeable. Indirect effects may include growth-
inducing effects and other effects related to induced
changes in the pattern of land use, population density
or growth rate, and related effects on air and water
and other natural systems, including ecosystems.”
The I-405 Corridor Program EIS prepared an analysis
of cumulative and indirect (referred to as secondary)
effects for the corridor-wide improvements. The
corridor-wide analysis did not identify any specific
indirect effects for portions of the I-405 Corridor
affected by the Renton Nickel Improvement Project.
Portions of SR 167 included within the Renton Nickel
Improvement Project were not analyzed in the
corridor-wide cumulative and secondary analysis.
While the corridor analysis combined cumulative and
secondary effects, indirect effects are considered
separately for the Renton Nickel Improvement Project
discipline reports.
To assist in determining if indirect effects from other
disciplines would indirectly affect neighborhoods,
cohesion, and community services, the I-405 Team
reviewed the discipline reports prepared for the
Renton Nickel Improvement Project, including Land
Use Patterns, Land Use Plans and Policies, Air
Quality, Noise and Vibration, and those that address
natural systems. None of these discipline reports
identified direct or indirect effects that would change
the character of the neighborhoods or access to them.
None identified changes in population, land use
patterns, plans and policies, air quality, and noise that
would alter social resources or interactions within the
neighborhoods.
Based on this review, the I-405 Team concluded that
the Renton Nickel Improvement Project will not have
any adverse indirect effects on neighborhood
cohesion, community services, or recreational
resources.
Ongoing positive transportation effects from the
Renton Nickel Improvement Project will benefit
community services by making it easier for staff and
clients to travel through the study area.
Were cumulative effects looked at for
this discipline?
The I-405 Team did not evaluate
cumulative effects for this discipline
report. A report of cumulative effects is
not needed for every discipline studied
for NEPA and SEPA documentation. The
disciplines that were studied for
cumulative effects are Air Quality,
Surface Water and Water Quality,
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and
Wetlands. The cumulative effects for
these disciplines are presented in the
Cumulative Effects Analysis Discipline
Report.
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
54 Social Discipline Report
MEASURES TO AVOID OR
MINIMIZE PROJECT EFFECTS
How will temporary construction effects be minimized?
Measures to minimize construction effects for the
general public are summarized below:
Construction closures will be timed to minimize
inconvenience.
Current information on construction and travel
options will be posted on the project website.
Drivers will be directed to alternate routes.
Access to travel options and incentives to use
them will be increased.
Benson Road overpass will be built on a new
alignment west of the existing overpass to
avoid long-term closure, which will benefit the
driving public.
The transportation related measures are described in
more detail in the Transportation Discipline Report
During final design development, WSDOT and the
I-405 Team will confer with residents along the east
side of the Benson Road overpass replacement to
coordinate the design of the revised access to their
homes and access during construction.
Neighborhoods
Because the project will have little or no effect on the
features of the adjacent neighborhoods that contribute
to their identities, overall neighborhood cohesion
effects will be minimal. Accordingly, the project team
has not proposed any mitigation related to
neighborhood cohesion.
Community services
To address concerns about potential travel delays for
staff and clients of community services agencies
within the study area, the I-405 Public Involvement
Team will provide information about the timing and
location of construction activities. WSDOT will provide
information for the agencies to post in their offices
PRELIMINARY DRAFT
MITIGATION
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
Social Discipline Report 55
and/or to include in newsletters. The public
involvement team will determine how to reach people
whose main language is not English, such as
translating information into Spanish, Chinese, etc.
The construction phase communications plan will
include specific measures. Such measures may
include the following:
Send information to community service
providers for use in newsletters and face-to-
face contacts with their clients.
Send flyers and handouts to community
service providers for posting and distributing in
key locations at their facilities. The team will
provide flyers in Spanish, Chinese, Russian,
and Vietnamese, as appropriate.
Post flyers at key stores and churches.
Set up a project table and talk with people at
locations such as food banks.
The I-405 Public Involvement Team will also consider
suggestions obtained during the EA review.
Trail crossings
During final design, WSDOT will meet with Renton
Parks and Public Works staff to coordinate temporary
closures and detours related to replacing the
Springbrook and Oakesdale bridges and widening the
Talbot Road bridge. If it is not possible to maintain
trail traffic during construction, then the team will
identify appropriate, safe detours for use by cyclists
and/or pedestrians. The I-405 Team will develop
signs explaining the temporary closure timing and
detour routes.
Are avoidance, minimization, and other mitigation
measures needed?
During the operational phase of the project, the I-405
Team identified no substantial effects on
neighborhoods or neighborhood cohesion from the
project. Therefore, WSDOT is proposing no particular
mitigation to address social effects during operation of
the project. The Noise and Vibration Discipline Report
discusses project effects on adjacent residents and
identifies mitigation for these effects.
Renton Nickel Improvement Project
56 Social Discipline Report
REFERENCES
Published Documents
Tukwila, City of
1995 Comprehensive Plan. December 1995.
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)
2005 Renton Nickel Improvement Project Air Quality Discipline Report.
Prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas.
2005 Renton Nickel Improvement Project Environmental Justice Discipline
Report. Prepared by Parametrix.
2005 Renton Nickel Improvement Project Land Use Patterns Discipline Report.
Prepared by DMJM Harris.
2005 Renton Nickel Improvement Project Land Use Plans and Policies
Discipline Report. Prepared by Jones and Stokes.
2005 Renton Nickel Improvement Project Noise and Vibration Discipline
Report. Prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas.
2005 Renton Nickel Improvement Project Public Services and Utilities
Discipline Report. Prepared by DMJM Harris.
2005 Renton Nickel Improvement Project Section 4(f) Discipline Report.
Prepared by Osborn Pacific.
2005 Renton Nickel Improvement Project Transportation Discipline Report.
Prepared by HDR, Inc.
2004 Environmental Procedures Manual. September 2004.
2002 I-405 Corridor Program NEPA/SEPA Final Environmental Impact
Statement. 2002.
Websites
City of Renton. New Housing Map.
http://www.ci.renton.wa.us/ftp/nwhsmap.pdf (Accessed 2005).
City of Renton. Renton Parks, Schools, and Trails Map.
http://www.ci.renton.wa.us (Accessed 2005).
City of Tukwila. Parks and Recreation Map.
http://www.ci.tukwila.wa.us (Accessed 2005).
US Census Bureau, Census 2000.
http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html (Accessed 2005).