HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRIP Response to Comments_signedCRWashington State
Department of Transportation
February 28, 2018
Mr. Clark Close, Senior Planner
City of Renton, Department of Community and Economic Development
Planning Division
1055 South Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
1-405 Program Office
600 ---108th Avenue NE Ste. 405
Bellevue, WA 98004
425-456-8582
TTY: 1-800-833-6388
www.wsdot.wa.gov
Re: 1-405, Tukwila to Renton Improvement Project
Shoreline Substantial Development Permit Application LUA17-000810, SM, CAR
Dear Mr. Close:
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is in receipt of a letter from the Planning
Division of the City of Renton sent January 18, 2018 requesting additional information so that the City
may continue its review of the Shoreline Substantial Development permit and Critical Areas review.
Below are WSDOT responses to comments and questions submitted by Karen Walter with the
Muckleshoot Indian Tribe Fisheries Division:
1. Regarding Lighting on 1-405 Bridge over Cedar River: Nighttime lighting can have a strong effect
on fish behavior and may increase their vulnerability to predation. With the expansion of the
existing 1-405 bridge crossing over the Cedar River, please demonstrate or develop and submit a
plan to reduce artificial lighting from the 1-405 bridge structure that negatively impacts juvenile
salmon outmigrating from the Cedar River.
WSDOT Response: The lighting affixed to the underside of the existing bridge is required to
illuminate the pedestrian bridge and walking paths on both sides of the Cedar River. The lights
nearest the river channel are fitted with sleeve -like attachments that direct lighting to the
walking paths and minimize ambient lighting of the channel. All lighting underneath the bridge
is owned and operated by the City of Renton. The luminaire affixed to the top of the bridge has a
minimal effect on the channel because the bridge itself shields most of the river from the light.
The widened bridge will not require additional luminaires and will increase the shielding effect
from the existing illumination system.
2. Regarding Tree Removal along Cedar River: Additional details are needed regarding the
proposed tree removal within the regulated shoreline. The preliminary tree impacts and
restoration assessment ("Tree Assessment") estimated that up to 14 trees would need to be
removed. The impacted tree species include bigleaf maple and black cottonwood. See Table 1.
Table L Preliminary Tree A►sstssrnent
Shoreline Site Category
# Impacted
Avg. D8H
Species
2-4" DOH
3
3
Armor macropahyllum
5-3Cr DDH
10
9
Acer macrophyJlurr, PDpuFus
Cedar River
frfchosnrp[a
=3TDBH
1
35
Acermocrop+hyllurn
Total
14
95
Please elaborate, within the Tree Assessment, to include the functions these identified tree species
provide and a mitigation plan detailing and discussing how these removed trees would be mitigated,
particularly for future wood recruitment needs to be provided.
WSDOT Response: The WSDOT Team and the City of Renton have identified approximately 6,000
square feet at Ron Regis Parkin Renton for potential Cedar River buffer enhancements. The
location is close to a cut bank of the Cedar River where long-term recruitment is highly likely, and
is adjacent to a riparian mitigation site being restored by Forterra, a land conservation
organization. Currently European blackberry and mature cottonwood trees are among the
dominant species. Based on the surrounding vegetation, the site will likely support western red
cedar, hemlock, fir, Oregon ash, big -leaf maple and an understory of salmonberry, snowberry,
red -osier dogwood and pacific nine bark. Clearing the invasive blackberry and planting
indigenous trees and shrubs will provide both trees for recruitment and riparian shade as well as
deterring the re-establishment of non-native vegetation. Plantings will be monitored for five
years. Refer to Attachment 1: Potential Mitigation Site — Ron Regis Park.
3. Stormwater Improvements: Please clarify if this project would be providing further treatment of
stormwater. The "Summary of Stormwater Management Concepts" document is unclear if there
would be stormwater improvements with the 1-405 Tukwila to Renton Improvement Project -
Stage 3 ("Stage 3"). The summary document indicates that the Stage 3 project will be adding
pollutant generating impervious surfaces area (PGIS) by 0.35 acres within the City of Renton.
This increase should be fully treated as part of this project to reduce impacts to salmon in the
Cedar River. Please updated the Summary of Stormwater Management Concepts document to
provide more text and illustrations indicated how the final design would account for the
additional pavement added during Stage 3.
WSDOT Response: The work at the Cedar River bridge is Stage 3 of 1-405 Tukwila to Renton
Improvement Project (TRIP) and is currently funded for construction during the same timeframe
as the 1-405, Renton to Bellevue Project Stage 1. The Stage 3 stormwater concepts were
developed to support the 20081-405, TRIP (1-5 to SR 169) Environmental Assessment. The smaller
scope of Stage 3 does not support advancing the larger concepts associated with full build -out.
Within the Cedar River threshold discharge area, the large constructed stormwater treatment
wetland and the new discharge to the Cedar River described for full build -out of the 1-405
Tukwila to Renton Improvement Project will not be built. Stage 3 will increase the pollutant
generating impervious surface area (PGIS) area by 0.35 acre within the City of Renton. However,
the Project will treat both the full 0.35 acre of new PGIS and the remaining PGIS south of the
Cedar River.
4. Houser Way S and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) Bridges: The project narrative
mentions the Houser Way S bridge and the BNSF Bridge (west of 1-405 north and southbound
lanes) in the project work area. Will one or both bridges require modification or replacement to
implement the 1-405, Tukwila to Renton Improvement Project? If this is the case, at what stage
would this work occur for these two bridges?
WSDOT Response: The BNSF railroad bridge will not be modified as part of the work for TRIP
Stage 3. However, lane widening work on the 1-405 Cedar River bridge will encroach upon BNSF
right-of-way (ROW). WSDOT is therefore developing an agreement with BNSF to comply with
BNSF clearance regulations. The work for TRIP Stage 3 will not modify the Houser Way South
bridge.
2
Please contact Kimberly Toal at (425) 450-2721 or ToalK(@consultant.wsdot.wa.gov if there are any
questions about the above information.
Sincerely,
Li Cooley
Environmental Permit/Compliance Lead
Enc. Attachment 1: Potential Mitigation Site — Ron Regis Park
ATTACHMENT 1 - POTENTIAL
MITIGATION SITE - RON REGIS PARK
Potential Mitigation Site - Ron Regis Park
Notes
None
56 0 128 256 Feet
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