PACIFIC NORTHWEST EDITION
A Supplement to:
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May 14 2017 Vol. II • No. 10
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded in 1957.” Your Pacific Northwest Connection – Patrick Kiel – 1-877-7CEGLTD – pkiel@cegltd.com
Sound Transit Plans $54B Infrastructure Investment Sound Transit unveiled plans to kick off one of the most ambitious public transit capital investment programs in the nation’s history. By the end of 2017, Sound Transit will be planning, designing or building 24 train and bus projects in Snohomish, King and Pierce counties. “Today we’re pushing the ‘go’ button on critical infrastructure expansions to serve the people of our region,” said Dave Somers, Sound Transit Board chair and Snohomish
County executive. “These projects will help keep commuters, freight, and our economy moving as our population grows and our congestion worsens. It’s imperative we deliver the projects voters have approved with an eye towards saving money and being as efficient as possible.” “Sound Transit is taking its game to a whole new level,” said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff. “Delivering a program of this size and complexity requires a new set of
approaches and dramatically intensified collaboration with partners. Sound Transit is up for this challenge and will deliver.” Voters approved the $54 billion, 25-year Sound Transit 3 package, which will provide an additional 62 mi. of light rail from Tacoma to Everett. To meet the expedited timelines in the final Sound Transit 3 package, the agency will start projects sooner and collaborate with cities, stakeholders and private citizens
earlier and more intensively. The greatest potential for improvements falls in the planning, environmental and permitting phases of projects. The agency will focus on identifying preferred routes and station locations earlier; streamlining the number of alternatives studied; acquiring real estate sooner; and developing early permitting plans with partner agencies. The plan also will guide significant intersee TRANSIT page 10
Portland Water Spends $190M to Preserve Reservoir By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT
In Oregon, an eight-year capital improvement project to update the Washington Park reservoir site is moving forward. The Portland Water Bureau is overseeing efforts to preserve the historic drinking water function and protect the area from the potentially catastrophic effects of a natural disaster. “The work is needed to replace aging infrastructure, seismic concerns and regulatory requirements,” said Stan VandeBergh, principal engineer, Portland Water Bureau. “The new 12.4 million gallon, seismically reinforced buried reservoir has been designed to withstand a major earthquake. When complete and online, the new reservoir will supply water to Portland’s west side, and serve more than 360,000 people, including all downtown businesses and residents, 20 schools, five hospital complexes, more than 60 parks and the Oregon Zoo.” VandeBergh noted the reservoirs are typically designed for 100 years of service, making the highprofile project long overdue.
Portland Water Bureau photo
In Oregon, an eight-year capital improvement project to update the Washington Park reservoir site is moving forward.
“The Washington Park reservoirs are now more than 120 years old. Condition assessments performed at the reservoir site in 1997 and 2001 confirmed the reservoirs and structures were nearing the end
of their useful service life. Portland has a schedule to replace its open finished drinking water reservoirs with enclosed storage by December 31, 2020.” The reservoirs are an essential
part of the water system serving areas west of the Willamette River in the city. The pumping facilities on the site ensure water can reach high elevations in the west hills. “As a public health agency, it’s
our responsibility to create and maintain a healthy, reliable, resilient water system for generations to come. This facility is a critical lifeline infrastructure, and must be operational during and following a major seismic event. It is a key piece of the Water Bureau’s backbone system and the Oregon Resilience Plan. “The existing reservoirs were built long before the current building code and do not meet any seismic codes. Portland has both a Cascadia Subduction Zone risk of a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and several local faults capable of causing a magnitude 6.0 or greater earthquake. The reservoir sits at the base of an ancient landslide. Any construction next to the slide needs to be designed and constructed with the landslide in mind.” The 2006 federal regulation requires the city of Portland to protect its stored drinking water against contamination as part of the water quality requirements for safe drinking water. To address this requirement, the city is constructing alternative buried storage, allowing the uncovered reservoirs see WATER page 6