Grant sought to fix flood-prone roads in Sultan area

Published 1:30 am Saturday, January 7, 2017

SULTAN — Snohomish County is making plans to elevate some stretches of two roads near Sultan that are notorious for flooding.

In February 2015, locals came to county planners with worries about Ben Howard Road, Mann Road and 311th Avenue SE. Floods frequently close parts of those roads, blocking access for people who live in the area and for school buses and emergency vehicles.

The county did a study of the roads and found four locations that are prone to flooding, on average, at least every other year.

Two of the problem areas are along Ben Howard Road, one is on Mann Road at Devil’s Elbow and the fourth is along 311th Avenue. Parts of the roads have flooded as recently as last winter, according to the county.

The plan is to raise the elevation of the roadway at the worst spots on Ben Howard and Mann roads. Culverts would be put in on Ben Howard. A culvert on Mann would be replaced with a 12-foot-wide box culvert plus two smaller ones.

A full mile of 311th Avenue was found to be at risk of frequent flooding. It’s not realistic to raise the entire stretch of road, planners say. Doing so would block water flow and could cause problems for surrounding properties. Raising Ben Howard Road to prevent flood closures there would hopefully provide an alternate route to 311th.

Mann Road doesn’t have a good alternative. For hundreds of homeowners, its the only vehicle access to their homes.

In the fall and winter, the Skykomish River, South Slough and multiple streams around Sultan tend to spill over their banks. Over the years, drivers have failed to heed road closures during floods. For example, on the same soggy day in December 2010, a minivan stalled in flood water on Mann Road and a man got trapped in his Toyota Camry in water on Ben Howard Road.

Elevating two areas on Ben Howard and one on Mann is expected to cost $1.9 million. The county has applied for a state Floodplains by Design grant. Planners expect to hear back this summer.

“Right now, the project isn’t necessarily confirmed,” spokeswoman Meghan Jordan said. “We’re having a meeting to talk with the public about the possibility of the project. We’re showing what we would do if we can get funding.”

The meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. Jan. 19 at Mountainview Christian Fellowship, 211 6th Street in Sultan. People can learn more about the study, see maps of the possible projects, ask questions and share their thoughts.

“In meetings like this, we sometimes get information that only locals and people in the area are privy to,” Jordan said.

That could include people’s experiences on the roads or where there might be obstacles such as fences, walls or driveways tucked out of view.

If the project gains funding and permits, construction could start as soon as spring 2020 and be finished that fall.

Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com.