Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Evacuation Bridge Construction topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Orting celebrates bridge groundbreaking milestone as drilling advances; council briefed on construction and outreach
Summary
City staff reported progress on the evacuation bridge: shaft drilling, pole installation and an invitation to a March 15 groundbreaking; council discussed outreach to long-term project stakeholders and traffic controls during drilling.
City staff told the Orting City Council on Feb. 19 that construction of the planned evacuation bridge is progressing and that a public groundbreaking is scheduled for March 15 at 11 a.m. near the city sign, with parking at Potarmigan Elementary School.
Public works and engineering staff said pile-drilling operations are active and that crews are installing 24 deep foundation piles — roughly 12 per side — driven into underlying soils and bedrock. Public works Director Ryan said drilling rigs are operating daily and that crews typically drill a shaft, place casing and rebar, and then pour concrete the following day.
“We’ve got a series of pictures,” Ryan said, noting the project team posts updates on social media. Construction managers and the prime contractor are coordinating pedestrian detours for the Foothills Trail and a temporary trail detour is in place near Old Pioneer to keep students and residents safe. The city has engaged parametrics construction management and the prime contractor for daily on-site coordination.
Councilmembers asked technical questions about shaft drilling through native logs and boulders; staff said the rigs have encountered some boulders but no conditions that would stop progress. Capital projects manager DeGaffin Reed and engineering staff said the contractor has set about eight piles and expects 24 total at completion.
Council members and staff also described an outreach plan to invite people who worked on the project over two decades, including former mayors, school-district leaders and USGS personnel. “We sent out probably about 60 to 70 invites today,” Ryan said, adding that invitations were hand-delivered and emailed to former officials and stakeholders.
The city reported construction-status items including: pole relocations for an associated Kansas Street project starting March 4, ongoing negotiations for White Hawk Boulevard environmental approvals, receipt of 60% designs for the wastewater (WRRF) project, and a telemetry master plan procurement that returned a single proposal and is under evaluation. Several projects remain on schedule but staff warned of possible federal funding delays for WSDOT work.
What happens next: the city will hold the March 15 groundbreaking, continue drilling and pile work, complete remaining utility relocations and continue design reviews for remaining public-works projects. Residents were invited to watch drilling activities from the Foothills Trail detour and to expect temporary, short-duration lane closures when large equipment moves across Highway 162.
