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Washington updates major stormwater projects as work continues on Medical District drain
Summary
Public Works presented progress on the Medical District Stormwater Drainage Project, a near-complete citywide stormwater inventory and Simmons Street improvements, and outlined automated screens for Jack’s Creek pump station to reduce safety risks and improve performance.
Public Works staff presented a suite of stormwater projects during the Washington City Council work session on May 28, outlining funding, construction status and safety measures for the city’s drainage infrastructure.
Hope Woolard and Adam Waters, Public Works staff, said the Medical District Stormwater Drainage Project—originally supported by a $3,030,000 Golden Leaf Foundation award in August 2020—underwent multiple bid rounds, scope reductions and additional financing. They reported construction began in July 2025 and is scheduled for completion in July 2026. Woolard and Waters said the project’s earlier bids exceeded initial estimates, prompting a scope reduction and a combination of a $1.7 million loan and city funds to cover gaps; the City recently received an additional $1 million from the Golden Leaf Foundation to help close the funding gap.
City staff also described a near-complete stormwater asset and inventory assessment intended to update GIS mapping and add condition attributes so the City can prioritize future projects. “The Assessment will update and add attribute information to the existing GIS database to improve mapping of the system, perform an assessment of the condition of existing stormwater infrastructure, and create an Asset Management Plan,” the presentation states. Staff said the inventory effort is approximately 98% complete and cited a $400,000 Division of Water Infrastructure grant supporting the work.
On neighborhood-scale flooding, staff summarized the Simmons Street (Brown and 12th Street) drainage improvements to replace roughly 1,200 linear feet of deteriorated, undersized pipe with larger box culverts; survey and preliminary design work are complete and the project is about 50% finished. Rivers & Associates is preparing the engineering and environmental documentation, and the City has a $390,000 planning grant from the Division of Water Infrastructure.
Staff highlighted Jack’s Creek—serving roughly half the city—as a priority for pump-station upgrades. The presentation notes that existing manual bar screens require staff to clear debris during storms, creating safety hazards; the design calls for two dual automated flex-rake screens to operate without staff onsite and reduce risk to personnel and pump damage. Staff said the City received a $365,000 Stormwater Planning Grant for that work.
The council did not take formal action on these reports during the work session. The City Manager noted related construction and grant closeouts will continue as staff finalizes contracts and issues notices to proceed.
