Wallingford transfer station would be completed by 2016
After thirteen meetings and consideration of more than a dozen program options, a citizens group has made a unanimous recommendation for the reconstruction of Seattle Public Utilities’ (SPU) North Recycling and Disposal Station, in Wallingford.
In announcing he has accepted the recommendations of the North Transfer Station Stakeholders Group to pursue the so-called Option C, SPU Director Ray Hoffman praised the group’s work.
“The stakeholder group has done a superb job of studying the alternatives, asking for data, listening to each other, and creatively establishing a win-win solution that optimizes community and environmental protection with solid waste and recycling function,” Hoffman said.
“Necessary utility infrastructure projects are not always easy to deal with; finding the solution that works well for both the local community as well as all of our customers is a great achievement,” Hoffman said.
“Between the new South Transfer Station — now well under construction in South Park — and the future North Transfer Station, Seattle customers will have a solid waste system that will serve them well, through the middle of this century,” Hoffman said.
Construction on the new transfer station is expected to begin in 2014 and be completed by 2016, at an estimated Design-Build contract cost of about $52 Million. The Option C plan includes:
- Extensive setbacks and about an acre of landscaped and publicly-accessible open space.
- Preservation of priority views.
- Reduced noise, dust, odors from current levels.
- A great reduction of customer vehicle backups onto the public street.
- Increased traffic safety inside the station.
- Expanded recycling.
- More flexibility to address an evolving solid waste future.
- A facility that will meet the LEED Gold standard.
- Additional public benefits such as crosswalk improvements, pedestrian amenities, and an educational viewing room.
- High-quality architectural design.
Moving forward, SPU said it will:
- Continue to work closely with community groups and local neighbors to refine the programming for the public open space.
- Incorporate the Stakeholder Group’s project parameters into the documents for selecting and contracting with a project designer/constructor.
- Work with other city departments and the City Council to address zoning issues and the vacation of a block of Carr Place North.