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Environment committee hears CIP updates: pipeline work, outfalls and local drainage projects
Summary
Surface Water staff updated the committee on multiple capital improvement projects across Des Moines, including pipeline replacement at 20 Fourth Avenue South (in second suspension), construction closeout at Kent Des Moines & Sixteenth, upcoming bids for an outfall project, and shelving of Massey Creek work due to easements.
The Des Moines City Council Environment Committee on Feb. 13 received a routine capital improvement project (CIP) update from surface water staff covering pipeline replacements, pond retrofits and drainage projects across the city.
Tyler Weakley, surface water manager, and Alex Johnson, surface water engineer, reviewed project status for items the utility funds or partners on. Highlights included 20 Fourth Avenue South pipeline replacement (currently in its second construction suspension; staff said the contractor is on-site and the project is planned to resume this summer with a goal to finish before the school year), combined work on Des Moines Memorial Drive and 16th Place and Marine View Drive (in construction, expected to finish between late Q1 and early Q2), and Kent/Des Moines & Sixteenth (in closeout with final payout received).
Johnson said the Sixth Place and 280 Seventh project has started design and will add new drainage and tie into the existing system. Marine View Drive pond retrofit design has also kicked off. The Deepdine outfall project is in final preparations for advertisement and is expected to be bid this month with anticipated completion by the end of summer; Johnson noted the city prefers work in the dry season. Massey Creek estuary work has been shelved because of utility easement and property challenges and its budget was reallocated to other projects. A Second Avenue project in the North Hill neighborhood has not started design; staff plan to kick off design in spring and build at a later date (schedule details for construction start were not specified).
Committee members asked for clearer risk indicators on the CIP map (one color currently combines schedule and budget risk) and requested separate markers for schedule and budget risk for public clarity. Councilmember Roxiger questioned whether fixes such as Marine View Drive pond retrofits would permanently resolve long-standing flooding near the TacoTime intersection; staff said the previously installed pump typically addresses the hydraulics and the retrofit will address water quality rather than solving hydraulic capacity, and said occasional pump malfunctions and complex hydrology mean a single retrofit is not a guaranteed permanent fix.
Ending: Staff said they will continue quarterly CIP updates and will provide additional mapping and clearer risk indicators in future reports.
