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Construction of the upper reach began in November 2024!
Learn more about how we’ve completed “early action” cleanups.
What’s happening now:
December 2024
- During the week of December 16, cleanup construction will continue in Sediment Management Areas (SMA) 3, 4, 6, and 9, and construction will begin in SMA 2 and 7 as shown on the map linked below.
- Crews will continue installing sheet piles near SMA 9 which may cause higher noise levels during the daytime. Work in SMA 9 will continue for a couple of weeks.
- During the week of December 23, cleanup construction will continue in SMA 9 and 7.
- Construction will not occur on Wednesday, December 25 due to the holiday.
- Construction is scheduled within standard working hours, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., currently Monday through Friday. Movement of barges may occur outside of these work hours.
- You can reach out to our team during construction hours should you have questions or concerns. Reach out to us at info@ldwg.org or 1-888-561-LDWG (1-888-561-5394).
Join us for a virtual office hour!
The Lower Duwamish Waterway Group is hosting a virtual lunch office hour on Friday, December 20, from 12 to 1 pm. Drop in to speak with members of the project team and the EPA and ask your questions about upper reach cleanup construction. Please sign up here.
Environmental and Community Reporting:
Stay Connected:
Map of Lower Duwamish Waterway Upper Reach
For the week of December 16, 2024
What to Expect During Construction
Construction will take place in specific areas within the waterway’s upper reach, which extends from the South 102nd Street bridge downstream to the Duwamish Waterway Park.
In general, the public can expect to see:
- Construction equipment working on the river, including tugboats, excavators on barges, and barges carrying material to and from work areas.
- The Contractor will use barges to move dredged sediment from cleanup areas to the Duwamish Reload Facility (operated by Waste Management) located at 7400 8th Avenue South to transfer sediment from barge to railcars. The material will then be transported to a regulated landfill.
- People in smaller boats observing, doing surveys, monitoring water quality, and collecting samples.
- People working mostly weekdays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and, only if necessary due to tides and other factors, work after 7 p.m. Movement of barges may occur outside of these work hours. Saturday work is also allowed. Night work will be limited. The project team will provide advance notice to nearby residents, including marina residents, and businesses.
- Lights for safe work during dark hours and noise related to construction equipment.
Construction photos
About the Construction
King County, as a member of LDWG, hired Pacific Pile and Marine as the lead contractor to carry out cleanup construction in the upper reach.
Construction in the upper reach will take place during the construction season over the next three years, ending in February 2027. The construction season is typically October through February each year. In-water construction activities are restricted to these months to protect certain fish species.
After the Lower Duwamish upper reach cleanup is complete, construction will continue downstream toward the south end of Harbor Island over the next decade. You can read more about the pollutants we will clean up from the river here.
Learn more about the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund Site cleanup on the EPA website.
Planned Construction Activities
You can expect the following construction activities:
- Staging of equipment and materials: Setting up, organizing, and storing materials before use in construction.
- Offloading: Transferring materials like dredged sediment from one mode of transportation to another, such as from a barge to a truck or train.
- Transporting materials: Transporting dredged materials and debris from one location to another, including by barge, rail, or truck.
- Disposing of contaminated materials: Disposing of contaminated materials at a permitted commercial landfill.
- Surveying and inspections: Documenting the condition of the work sites and surrounding areas, as well as the progress of construction before, during, and after construction (including taking photographs).
- Removing piling and debris: Temporarily removing the piling that supports Tribal fishing, removing piles no longer in use, and removing any debris from dredged areas.
- Installing replacement piling and reinforcing structures: Replacing any Tribal fishing piling that are temporarily removed for construction access. Reinforcing any shoreline bulkheads to allow dredging next to the bulkhead.
- River sampling: Collecting water samples to confirm that dredging is being conducted as required, to comply with water quality standards.
- River sediment sampling: Collecting sediment samples to confirm dredging has removed the contaminated sediment as required.
- Site cleanup and demobilization: Removing construction equipment and materials from the work site.
Communications and construction timeline for the Upper Reach
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Contractor hired | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Contracting and Bid | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Construction Submittals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pre-construction Outreach | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Construction Season 1 | Construction Season 2 | Construction Season 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ongoing Community Outreach and Communications | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
How EPA, LDWG, and the contractor will work to reduce the impact of cleanup construction on the community.
LDWG and the construction contractor, with the oversight of the EPA, will work to learn about and mitigate community concerns as practical through digital and in-person outreach such as responding to project emails and the project phone line, and by speaking with people at community events.
We are dedicated to limiting the impacts of construction on those who work, live, play, and gather in the area.
We welcome the community to contact the Cleanup Outreach Team with any concerns related to the cleanup. You may reach us via email at info@ldwg.org or by phone at 1-888-561-LDWG.
Resources
- Joint News Release, Start of Construction (December 2024)
- Community Outreach and Communications Plan (January 2024)
- Community Impacts Mitigation Plan (September 2024)
- Community Outreach and Communications Plan with Community Impacts Mitigation Plan Summary (July 2024) Khmer | Vietnamese | Spanish
- Sediment Cleanup Construction Handout (September 2024) Khmer | Vietnamese | Spanish