[0:00] Don't reach out to me.
[0:22] [music]
[0:23] » Well, good evening. Uh, I will call to
[0:25] order the special meeting of the Federal
[0:27] Way City Council for Wednesday, November
[0:29] 5th, 2025. Would you all please rise for
[0:31] the pledge of allegiance?
[0:33] [clears throat]
[0:35] I
[0:35] » Pledge allegiance to the flag of the
[0:38] United States of America and to the
[0:40] republic for which it stands, one nation
[0:43] under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[0:46] justice for all.
[0:51] » All right, everybody. Oh. Uh, before we
[0:53] before I say anything else, uh, Council
[0:54] Member Tran uh will be absent today, but
[0:57] uh, he had, uh, something going on with
[0:59] his family, an illness of his family. He
[1:01] is excused. I'll say this again, uh,
[1:03] for, uh, for the regular, uh, city
[1:05] council meeting, uh, but for for the
[1:07] special, uh, meeting uh, right now, he
[1:09] is excused. With that, I will turn it
[1:11] over. We're have going to have a brief
[1:12] city briefing uh, with regard to city
[1:14] center access uh, um, and council
[1:17] update. Desire Winkler will get us
[1:19] started. She is the deputy public works
[1:20] director for those watching at home.
[1:23] » Uh good evening, mayor, members of the
[1:24] council. Um I'll give a brief
[1:26] introduction and then I'm going to turn
[1:27] it over to u one of my staff members.
[1:33] So um it's been about a year. Is this
[1:37] the new forward thing?
[1:39] It's been about a year I think since
[1:41] we've given you an update, but a lot of
[1:42] work has been going on and continues to
[1:44] progress on our city center access
[1:46] project. So, in order to make sure we're
[1:49] all on the same page, we'll start out
[1:50] with a project overview, we'll talk
[1:53] about recent project activities, uh
[1:56] discuss the coordination that is ongoing
[1:58] with sound transit and their projects
[2:01] and then also uh additional on the wash
[2:04] coordination. So, with that, I am going
[2:06] to turn it over to Rick Perez, city
[2:08] traffic engineer.
[2:10] [cough and clears throat]
[2:13] » Thank you and good evening. So, um,
[2:17] yeah, we're, um, just going to talk a
[2:20] little bit about, um, starting off with
[2:22] the background. So, um, we actually
[2:26] recognize the need to address access to
[2:28] and from and within City Center back
[2:31] around 2002.
[2:33] And, um, that we got a formal, um,
[2:38] project put together for an access study
[2:41] in 2006.
[2:44] um that resulted in uh the selection of
[2:47] two potential alternatives that involved
[2:50] modifying access on I-5 at 312th or
[2:54] 324th.
[2:55] In uh 2009, the council chose to shove
[2:59] the project rather than select a
[3:02] preferred alternative.
[3:04] And um that project was reinitiated back
[3:07] in 2017. Um so we redid the traffic
[3:12] analysis. We conducted extensive public
[3:15] outreach um particularly focused on
[3:17] adjacent neighborhoods and businesses
[3:19] and um had a preliminary review of the
[3:23] environmental impacts and uh we got down
[3:26] into 2019 to having uh the city council
[3:31] select a preferred alternative which we
[3:33] will describe.
[3:35] Um so overview of the uh where we've
[3:40] been and where we're heading. Um and uh
[3:43] a couple of key points. Um November of
[3:46] 2022.
[3:48] Um anytime you're modifying access on an
[3:50] interstate highway, Federal Highway
[3:52] Administration requires an access
[3:55] revision report
[3:57] um that can conclude that there safe
[4:00] that um the interchange would function
[4:03] safely. Um and with adequate operations
[4:06] and engineering acceptability
[4:09] um that was a major milestone for us. Um
[4:13] we then went on to continue that work
[4:16] and received um phase one funding of uh
[4:22] design and writeway
[4:24] in March of 2023. That was a uh $50
[4:28] million allocation through our lobbying
[4:31] efforts. um and uh proceeded into the
[4:36] environmental process
[4:39] and uh we are in that right now. But um
[4:42] the other major milestone was in 2025
[4:46] the um the environmental document was
[4:50] approved by federal highway
[4:51] administration at WASHDOT um in
[4:54] September under the National
[4:56] Environmental Policy Act. That's NEPA.
[4:58] Um so um we're continuing into final
[5:02] design and um rideway acquisition
[5:06] for phase one of the work and I'll
[5:08] describe that a little bit more. Um
[5:12] we're also looking at how to coordinate
[5:14] this with Sound Transit. Um their
[5:17] extension of the uh light rail guideway
[5:20] down to the operational operations and
[5:24] maintenance facility um down on 336
[5:27] Street.
[5:29] And um and then they will have to um
[5:34] reconstruct
[5:36] where the curve at 324th and 23rd Avenue
[5:39] South um which is proposed to be a
[5:42] roundabout
[5:44] and um then after that we can move into
[5:48] construction depending on whether we can
[5:51] get construction funding um but possibly
[5:54] as soon as 2028.
[5:57] So, this attempts to outline all the
[6:00] different phases. Um, this is too big a
[6:02] project to be able to fund all at once.
[6:06] Um, and uh, so phase one consists of
[6:10] constructing the ramps to and from I5
[6:13] southbound to to connect to South 324th
[6:16] Street and then would con construct
[6:19] 324th between those ramps and um, and
[6:24] 23rd Avenue South. Is there a pointer
[6:26] here? Oops.
[6:28] I guess not. Okay. Anyway, um maybe I
[6:32] can do it here.
[6:34] So, this is the southbound ramps. Then
[6:37] we'd be constructing 324th
[6:40] to connect to 23rd Avenue South,
[6:43] continuing to widen 324th existing to
[6:47] five lanes. And then at the intersection
[6:49] of Highway 99, we'd be constructing um a
[6:53] second left turn lane for northbound and
[6:55] southbound 99 to accommodate the
[6:58] additional volume that would be using
[6:59] 324th.
[7:01] That's phase one and that's what we're
[7:03] working on design. Phase two would
[7:06] eventually extend 324th across I5 to
[7:10] Warehouser Way.
[7:13] Um and then phase 3A
[7:16] would um reconstruct the bridge over I5
[7:20] on 320th
[7:22] and then uh construct HOV lanes
[7:27] um eastward to Military Road. So the
[7:30] outside lanes of 320th, there'd be two
[7:33] general purpose lanes and and um HOV
[7:36] lanes in each direction from Highway 99
[7:39] to Military Road on 320th. Phase 3B
[7:43] would then come back and build the the
[7:45] northbound ramps
[7:48] um to and from I5 at 324th and modify
[7:52] the interchange at 320th um to bring up
[7:56] to current standards.
[8:00] See,
[8:04] so um this is just a brief overview of
[8:08] what phase one consists of. Um some of
[8:11] the um individual parcels we're showing
[8:15] here are surface water detention
[8:18] facilities in addition to the roadway
[8:20] work.
[8:26] So um as I mentioned the environmental
[8:28] documentation
[8:30] um we have received um washed out
[8:32] approval um under the national
[8:35] environmental policy act. Um so we are
[8:38] now in the process of preparing a
[8:41] application for the state environmental
[8:44] policy act which typically will just
[8:46] adopt the national document. Um there's
[8:50] some additional analysis to meet
[8:52] specific requirements in state
[8:54] requirements. And then um a third
[8:57] element is the um hydraulic project
[9:00] approval um which is uh let's see that
[9:05] was what agency submits those I forget.
[9:10] Anyway it's it's another environmental
[9:13] process that we have to do for um
[9:15] surface water. [snorts]
[9:20] Is it fisheries?
[9:22] » Yeah fish and wildlife that's it. So um
[9:25] one of the more challenging aspects of
[9:28] this is trying to make this work with a
[9:30] lot of stuff in the way. Um so Sound
[9:35] Transit when they extend the guideway is
[9:38] which is outlined in red here um has to
[9:41] go over where we're going to build 324th
[9:46] which means they have to raise the the
[9:48] BPA power lines to get under it. Um, and
[9:54] so where BPA originally proposed to
[9:57] place the towers for this relocated and
[10:01] raised lines was too close to the Tacoma
[10:05] water line that um runs through the same
[10:08] easement.
[10:10] So um that required them then to place
[10:14] this particular tower, this is this
[10:16] would be a new tower right in the middle
[10:18] of where 23rd Avenue South is.
[10:22] So, um, working with, uh, BPA and Sound
[10:26] Transit, we developed an alignment that
[10:29] would reign 23rd and 324th. So, the good
[10:35] news with this is um that basically
[10:39] Sound Transit is going to build this
[10:40] roundabout for us.
[10:42] They will also do some rough grading to
[10:45] take care of um this covert that was um
[10:50] that would feed into the Hilabos.
[10:52] Um the downside of that is that between
[10:56] the tower construction and sound transit
[11:00] realigning the roadway,
[11:02] 23rd and 324th will be closed for
[11:05] roughly a year and a half.
[11:08] Um, so we have some mitigation proposed
[11:12] for that with the traffic signal at um,
[11:14] Highway 99 and 320th. Um, it's not going
[11:18] to solve it, but it'll make it better.
[11:27] Come on.
[11:32] Why aren't you advancing? There we go.
[11:35] So, um
[11:37] there's some rightaway acquisition
[11:38] involved in this obviously. Um and um so
[11:43] the green outlines what the city would
[11:45] be acquiring.
[11:47] The orange um is would be easements that
[11:52] would be mostly for surface water uh
[11:54] facilities.
[11:57] And um the existing 320th park and ride
[12:01] um portions of that will be basically
[12:05] looks like given to us by the state as
[12:08] long as it's used for rightway purposes
[12:10] which this would qualify for. Um and um
[12:15] so and then the other property that is
[12:18] not already publicly owned um would be
[12:21] acquired by Sound Transit.
[12:27] One of the other interesting things is
[12:29] uh we have some fish barriers to deal
[12:31] with
[12:33] um for this creek. Um right now um
[12:37] coming off the bog on the east side of
[12:39] the freeway. Um there's an existing
[12:42] culvert
[12:44] and uh at this point here is another
[12:47] fish barrier and then it goes into
[12:49] another culvert and then down comes out
[12:51] into Bmore.
[12:53] Um, so the original design we had, um,
[12:57] and WASHDOT was originally supposed to
[13:00] do this one and they decided to defer
[13:02] it. Um but uh this would be a new covert
[13:07] underneath I5
[13:10] and um then um exposing as much as
[13:14] possible
[13:16] um the um surface drainage um to uh
[13:21] provide adequate habitat
[13:23] for uh migrating salmon. then go through
[13:26] another culvert
[13:28] underneath the um extension of 324th
[13:32] which would be rough graded by Sound
[13:34] Transit to this point. Um little bit of
[13:38] um open drainage here and then
[13:41] underneath another culvert to this um
[13:44] roadway within Belmore and then outfall
[13:47] here. Um, another alternative that would
[13:51] be less expensive and easier to
[13:54] construct would be to have um a shorter
[13:58] cover under I-5. And rather than having
[14:02] walls in a 30-ft deep cut here to um
[14:06] basically grade it so that it's sloped
[14:08] back, it does take up more room. Um and
[14:13] uh but it would be um
[14:16] better environmentally
[14:20] and uh let's see what else.
[14:24] So, one of the other aspects of this is
[14:27] um what to do with what would be unused
[14:31] parts of um the park and ride, the
[14:35] existing park and ride. One potential
[14:37] idea
[14:39] um if it's used for rightaway purposes,
[14:42] washdout's willing to give it to us. Any
[14:44] other portion that we would want to use
[14:47] for any purpose, potentially we'd have
[14:50] to pay them for it. Um but that might be
[14:54] an opportunity for some other type of
[14:56] open space to be used in the city
[14:59] center. Um and so the only downside with
[15:02] that is if we're using that
[15:05] um it becomes a type of property that
[15:08] once it becomes park it has to stay
[15:10] park.
[15:12] So there will need to be some
[15:14] discussions in the future about do we
[15:17] want to use that property and if so what
[15:19] for.
[15:24] Oops.
[15:29] So, um, as I mentioned, one of the
[15:31] options here, um, would be the, um, not
[15:35] having a bunch of walls, but rather
[15:37] just, um, sloped property. It'd be a
[15:40] little bit more open and probably more
[15:42] pleasant to look at, um, from aesthetic
[15:46] purpose.
[15:48] And
[15:52] So this is what the schedule looks like.
[15:56] So um one of the aspects that we're
[16:00] working on right now. So we had the
[16:02] access revision report approved that is
[16:05] for the entire project all phases. Um
[16:09] but now we have to update that to be
[16:12] specific for phase one. And so that work
[16:15] will continue through most of 2026.
[16:18] Um and uh obviously we have to
[16:21] coordinate that with Washington State
[16:23] DOT.
[16:24] Um we'll be in preliminary design um
[16:28] through the first quarter of 26.
[16:32] Um we will um there's also a
[16:35] channelization plan approval that
[16:37] WASHDOT needs to approve um for any
[16:40] changes in how the roadway functions
[16:43] both I5 and Highway 99.
[16:46] um value engineering then rightaway
[16:49] acquisition would start after that first
[16:52] quarter and into and through 2027.
[16:57] Um, one of the interesting things with
[17:00] the environmental process is um, we
[17:02] started off assuming a higher level of
[17:05] analysis would be required and that
[17:07] downgraded um, last year and uh, so it
[17:12] required less but it also required us to
[17:14] pivot on what we had to include in that
[17:16] environmental documentation.
[17:18] Um so um but that part is now done and
[17:23] uh so sea is the remaining portion that
[17:27] we need to work on on environmental
[17:30] and uh coordination with sound transit
[17:33] and BPA is ongoing and um the proposed
[17:38] closure would start in early 2027
[17:42] for um 23rd and 324th
[17:45] and um and as soon as um BPA's work is
[17:49] done then sound transit would start in
[17:52] mid 2027 and take about a year for that.
[17:58] So so
[18:01] that concludes the presentation and I'm
[18:03] happy to answer any [clears throat]
[18:04] questions.
[18:06] » McDaniel.
[18:06] » Yeah. Um going back to the closing down
[18:08] you said it's going to be about a year
[18:09] and a half.
[18:10] » Yes.
[18:10] » Is it the how much of that road are we
[18:13] looking at shutting down since there's a
[18:15] lot I mean how do you get to Belmont if
[18:16] you shut that down? Right. So, Belmore
[18:18] would still have access. We would
[18:20] preserve that, but basically it'll be
[18:22] down to one lane
[18:24] » Um each direction from Belmore's
[18:26] driveway to the west.
[18:28] » Gotcha.
[18:28] » And then we'll also be providing um
[18:31] temporary pedestrian access across that
[18:34] so that they can go to the mall.
[18:36] » And then what about the up towards close
[18:37] to the specific high road? We have those
[18:39] buildings and those rest
[18:40] » Those will still have full access.
[18:42] » Okay. So, what at what point does it go
[18:43] down to that one one strip to get down
[18:45] there? That driveway that's um about
[18:48] halfway between Belmore and 17th Avenue
[18:52] » Is the one for the mall.
[18:53] » Yes.
[18:54] » Okay. That one. Gotcha.
[18:55] » Yeah. That's where it'll narrow down.
[18:56] » Okay.
[18:57] » And then on the north side at at 32nd.
[19:00] So
[19:00] » The south leg of the intersection would
[19:02] be closed.
[19:02] » Gotcha. And then my second question is I
[19:04] believe those are for salmon then those
[19:05] that design you were showing us with
[19:07] either slope to cement walls and stuff.
[19:10] Um, does that have water in it
[19:12] consistently or is that only when we
[19:14] have uh enough uh I I guess water to
[19:18] fill that up? Is that going to be
[19:19] consistently filled or is it only be
[19:21] like seasonal?
[19:22] » I believe that's a seasonal drainage.
[19:25] » Okay, that was my other question. Thank
[19:27] you,
[19:28] » Council President. Coach Mark,
[19:30] » Um Rick, so on the dip, are we still
[19:34] going to do the dip or what about that?
[19:36] Um
[19:37] that's up to the council really. Um
[19:40] we've done the we've done the analysis.
[19:43] Um it's not cheap and uh nothing has
[19:47] been budgeted for it at this point.
[19:49] » We're council president. We're looking
[19:50] at it. We're kind of there there are
[19:52] different I' I've had community
[19:54] development and public works and Brian,
[19:56] we've talked about this. I'm I'm trying
[19:58] to get it uh ready uh for a council
[20:01] discussion, but it's not quite ready. So
[20:04] it would assume I would assume we'd want
[20:06] to do it at the same time as this if if
[20:08] we were going to do it.
[20:10] » Well, I I think we need to figure out
[20:11] with I mean I we can have a you know
[20:14] more of a presentation regard regarding
[20:16] the dip. It's about how you know how
[20:19] comprehensive is this? How much of an
[20:21] appetite do we have? What would be the
[20:22] funding for it? I think that we're
[20:24] trying to figure that out.
[20:26] » It sure
[20:27] » Yeah.
[20:27] » Yeah. It seems like we'd want to do it
[20:30] not at the same time since there will be
[20:32] considerably more traffic on 324th
[20:35] during during this process and so we'd
[20:38] want to make 324th as as clear as
[20:41] possible
[20:42] » During that during that time. So it
[20:44] seems like the dip should either be
[20:46] before or after.
[20:47] » Yeah.
[20:47] » Rather than.
[20:48] » Council member Had.
[20:50] » Thank you. So what is the total cost for
[20:53] the entire project all phases of it? Um,
[20:57] last time we updated the estimate, it
[20:58] was about 550 million.
[21:01] » And what is the length of time that if
[21:05] you got all the money that it would take
[21:07] to to build it?
[21:11] » I [clears throat] can't recall off the
[21:12] top of my head. Um, but we can certainly
[21:15] look
[21:15] » 15 years.
[21:16] » Yeah, it would take a while. I mean,
[21:18] every every phase is going to be three
[21:20] to five years.
[21:22] » Okay. council.
[21:25] » Yeah. Um this project which is very well
[21:29] needed and we also have the highway 18
[21:33] flyways and overpasses and you just
[21:35] threw out 500 to 600 million among
[21:38] friends. What's the impact on the other
[21:41] project that hasn't been done and we're
[21:43] trying to fund also
[21:45] » Cuz
[21:46] » I know they're different projects but
[21:48] you're competing for the same pot of
[21:51] money, right?
[21:52] » Yes. We in both cases our primary
[21:54] funding source would be through the
[21:56] state.
[21:56] » Yeah.
[21:57] » So um yeah it's a matter of
[22:00] council direction to provide which what
[22:02] what the priority needs to be. So
[22:05] » Um you know right now um the triangle
[22:09] project on highway 18 is um not even
[22:12] funded out to 2035.
[22:16] But so together are you talking a
[22:18] billion dollars
[22:19] » Um
[22:20] » Or 800 million or where do you think
[22:22] that all
[22:22] » I think the remaining phases of the
[22:24] triangle are about 250 300 somewhere in
[22:27] there right now.
[22:29] » So I mean the only reason I'm asking the
[22:31] question shouldn't we try to finish one
[22:32] first before we start the other or do
[22:34] you have two of them half built or I
[22:37] mean they're both important but if we're
[22:40] going to push for something should we
[22:41] push for one we can get done sooner?
[22:44] Well,
[22:46] I I would offer this right now at at
[22:49] Highway 18. The big challenge is the
[22:52] merge with I-5 southbound
[22:55] um from the flyover. And so that's going
[22:59] to be some improvements that um
[23:04] will require coordination with actually
[23:06] the gateway project, the 167 extension.
[23:09] The other one is the northbound
[23:12] um northbound off-ramp from I5 to
[23:14] eastbound 18 um which the trucking
[23:17] industry is pushing really hard in the
[23:19] ports um to get that constructed. And so
[23:23] that's that was in the next phase that
[23:26] was proposed for the triangle project.
[23:29] And um that's about a if I recall
[23:32] correctly an $80 million project.
[23:34] [clears throat]
[23:35] [snorts]
[23:37] So, I mean, you could bounce back and
[23:40] forth is is, you know, fix the worst
[23:42] first and then go do another phase of
[23:45] another project if you had to because
[23:48] yeah, we're not going to get, you know,
[23:51] $750 million all at once.
[23:54] » Okay. Thank you,
[23:56] » Council President. You have another
[23:57] comment?
[23:57] » I I do. I have two more. So when we
[24:00] raise the power lines, uh I assume
[24:02] that's on the vulnerable power and yes,
[24:05] Sound Transit would pay for that. So do
[24:08] we then lose power to the neighboring
[24:09] businesses for a period of time or
[24:12] » Um No. So they that's one of the things
[24:14] that's critical about when they schedule
[24:17] they they're going to do that at a time
[24:19] when power consumption is lowest and
[24:21] they can reroute to other parts of the
[24:23] network of the grid.
[24:24] » So it it wouldn't be a long period of
[24:27] time then. No, it well so the actual
[24:31] construction
[24:33] is will take a few months but the time
[24:36] that they would actually be shutting off
[24:38] the power is only when they're moving
[24:40] the lines to the new towers.
[24:42] [cough]
[24:43] [clears throat]
[24:43] » Also, weren't we talking about a trail
[24:45] system at one point?
[24:47] » Yes, that is a part of the project that
[24:49] I should have mentioned. So, um,
[24:53] you know, we've talked about extending
[24:55] the BPA trail, um, across I5, and this
[24:58] project would include that. So, there'd
[25:00] be a shared use path on 324th.
[25:03] And actually, we've got a separate
[25:05] project that we're going to be starting
[25:07] design on pretty soon to take that from
[25:09] Highway 99 to where the roundabout is or
[25:13] going to be at 23rd and 324th and then
[25:16] up the west side of 23rd to connect to
[25:18] the light rail station.
[25:20] So, um, but then when we construct phase
[25:23] two and get, um, 324th extended across
[25:26] I5,
[25:28] that will get us over to Warehouser Way.
[25:31] And then, um, people would be able to go
[25:33] up 32nd Avenue South. And at some future
[25:36] point, we'll extend a BPA trail east
[25:39] from 32nd out to 51st.
[25:45] » Yeah, it'd be really interesting to see
[25:47] a a diagram of better.
[25:50] Thank you. I just walked all over New
[25:53] York.
[25:55] » My feet are still sore. I'm wondering
[25:57] how that would work with people wanting
[25:59] to walk.
[26:01] » Thanks.
[26:02] » Okay. Council, any other questions for
[26:04] Rick?
[26:06] » All right. Thank you very much.
[26:07] Appreciate it.
[26:08] » Okay. Um, having no other business uh
[26:10] for the special study session, uh, we
[26:13] will be adjourned until our 6:30 regular
[26:15] meeting.