Des Moines committee reviews Memorial Triangle redesign, timeline and funding

Alex Johnson, capital improvement project manager for the surface water group, told the Municipal Facilities Committee that the Memorial (flag triangle) project will replace the deteriorated flagpole and foundation, restore the plaque and add gateway signage and landscaping to the Des Moines Memorial Corridor.

Why it matters: the committee was briefed on design choices influenced by public input, procurement of long-lead items, estimated costs and a construction timeline that aims for completion before Memorial Day. The project updates longstanding local memorial elements and the city’s principal gateway from the north.

Johnson said the project was first introduced to the full council on June 1, 2023, as part of a larger Marina and Redondo redevelopment bond package passed by council the following month. He described the immediate need: “the base of the flagpole is nearing the end of its functional life,” with visible cracking, and the existing pole requires a bucket truck for maintenance. The design will allow the flag to be raised and lowered from the base with simple tools.

Staff reported they have spent about $90,000 on design work to date and estimated roughly $300,000 for construction, bringing the project total to just north of $400,000. Sound Transit provided a $50,000 contribution toward the sign, Johnson said. Committee members and staff characterized remaining bond and contingency details as part of existing funding but numbers discussed in the meeting were partially unclear; staff described available bond funding and a contingency rather than reporting a single identified shortfall.

The design package presented two gateway sign concepts and multiple concrete finishes; public outreach in March 2024 drew about 120 responses. Johnson said seating options ranked low in the survey and, after safety concerns about people congregating in the traffic triangle, staff removed benches from the project scope and limited features to a sidewalk and the memorial plaque. “There were specifically a lot of comments asking, if the benches were a safe feature or why the benches needed to be included,” Johnson said.

The project timeline calls for advanced procurement of long-lead items (uplighting, the flagpole and some signage) in January 2025, advertisement for bids in February and construction beginning in March. Staff estimated roughly six working weeks of work but allowed schedule buffer to meet a Memorial Day ribbon-cutting.

Committee members asked about landscape maintenance and access. Staff said the project includes new landscaping and dedicated irrigation. Members raised whether a vertical display or additional roadside signage would better serve passing motorists; staff said an interpretive sign already exists and offered to discuss duplicating or relocating signage closer to the roadway if fabrication allowed. The committee also discussed pursuing a Blue Star Highway designation for Des Moines Memorial Drive; staff said they would contact the Washington State Department of Transportation for requirements and report back.

No council action was required at the meeting; staff said the next formal council-level step will be bringing a contract for execution after bidding. The committee asked staff to return with any simple follow-up by email if research on the Blue Star designation yields actionable items.

For context: speakers repeatedly framed the site as a memorial rather than a neighborhood park, citing World War I history along Des Moines Memorial Drive and longstanding elm-tree plantings.