King County’s plans to invest $19 million into improving the garbage and recycling First Northeast Transfer Station in Shoreline include restoring a portion of Thornton Creek, county officials said.
A local environmental organization, the Thornton Creek Alliance, recognized King County at a Jan. 8 ceremony for working with neighbors and members to ensure that improvements to the 40-year-old transfer station include restoring the North Fork of Thornton Creek that runs through the site.
“We are committed to doing improvements in a way that improves the creek,” said Kevin Kiernan, an engineering services manager in King County’s Solid Waste Division. “We appreciate the willingness of neighbors and the Thornton Creek Alliance to work with us to meet the customer service goals of this project in a way that is also improves the environment.”
The King County Solid Waste Division will invest close to $19 million in the project to make the transfer station more efficient for customers and employees and to update the facility to prepare for waste export when the Cedar Hills landfill closes. Once the improvements are made, waste can be packed into shipping containers that will be exported on trains or trucks. The design phase of the project is just beginning with completion of the project slated for 2006.
The county worked with the Thornton Creek Alliance and neighbors on a recently completed Master Plan for improvements to the facility. Creek-related features include:
• Protecting stream temperature and water quality by limiting the amount of paved area so rainfall goes into the ground.
• Improving the current rainfall treatment system.
• Increasing in the buffer area around Thornton Creek.
• Designing the facility to meet LEED Silver Criteria, a national environmental standard not usually applied to transfer station, rather residential or commercial facilities.
• Centralizing developed areas in the eastern half of the property, enabling the western half, where Thornton Creek crosses the property, to remain in as natural a state as possible.
• Eliminating a development alternative that would have created a new bridge crossing over Thornton Creek.
For these efforts, King County was recognized by the Thornton Creek Alliance with a certificate reading:
“The Thornton Creek Alliance recognizes the King County Solid Waste Division for working with concerned neighbors and members of Thornton Creek Alliance to ensure that improvements for the First Northeast Transfer Station include restoring the North Fork of Thornton Creek as if flows through the site, enhancing the creek’s riparian buffer, and building a new public viewing and educational area.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
