Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure And Environment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves scope for WARF daylighting feasibility study after narrowing options
Summary
Council voted unanimously to proceed with a revised feasibility study that removes concrete‑channel options, focuses on three scenarios (repairing tunnels, daylighting Peyton Creek, or daylighting Peyton and Lewis creeks) and adds life‑cycle maintenance cost comparisons; the study cost is $159,000.
Willow Hughes, a city staff member managing the WARF daylighting effort, returned to council Oct. 23 with a revised scope and cost estimate for a feasibility study on bringing stream channels in the WARF above ground.
Hughes said council previously requested two modifications: remove any alternatives that daylight streams in a concrete channel, and add an estimate comparing long‑term maintenance costs for a confined tunnel versus an open natural channel. She said the revised scope now presents three scenarios: (1) keep streams in tunnels but repair or replace damaged sections; (2) daylight the Peyton Creek tunnel only; and (3) daylight both the Peyton Creek and Lewis Creek tunnels, with daylighted channels designed as natural channels rather than concrete conduits.
Hughes told council the consultant, Wiley|Wilson, believes Lewis Creek may be difficult to daylight alone because there is insufficient physical room to achieve a gradual slope without steep drops; the combined‑daylighting scenario addresses that constraint. The study will include preliminary grading and site plans, stormwater modeling for each scenario, and an estimated cost comparison of long‑term maintenance for tunnel versus open channel options. Hughes said the revised study cost is $159,000.
Council members asked whether the feasibility study would be sufficient to move directly into design. Hughes said the study will be a high‑level feasibility and engineering analysis; a subsequent, more detailed design phase would be required before construction if council decides to proceed.
Councilor Liliana Woods moved to proceed with the scope as presented; Councilor Campbell seconded. The council voted unanimously to proceed.
Staff and the consultant will complete the feasibility work and return with findings and cost estimates that council can use to decide whether to advance to detailed design work.
