Kelsey Creek/Lake Hills Culvert Project

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Welcome to the Online Open House for the Kelsey Creek Culvert at Lake Hills Project. With funding from the King County Flood Control District, the City of Bellevue is planning a project to improve sewer and water operations in the Kelsey Creek area, reduce flooding and replace a culvert to provide sufficient water capacity and fish passage. We appreciate you taking time to review design alternatives – your input will help shape the direction of this project.



How to use this Online Open House

After you review the tab below regarding the project and design alternatives, click on the comment tab to share your feedback. The project team will take your input into consideration when choosing the preferred alternative. The comment period will end on December 23 at 5 p.m.

Welcome to the Online Open House for the Kelsey Creek Culvert at Lake Hills Project. With funding from the King County Flood Control District, the City of Bellevue is planning a project to improve sewer and water operations in the Kelsey Creek area, reduce flooding and replace a culvert to provide sufficient water capacity and fish passage. We appreciate you taking time to review design alternatives – your input will help shape the direction of this project.



How to use this Online Open House

After you review the tab below regarding the project and design alternatives, click on the comment tab to share your feedback. The project team will take your input into consideration when choosing the preferred alternative. The comment period will end on December 23 at 5 p.m.

  • PROJECT OVERVIEW

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    The Kelsey Creek Culvert at Lake Hills Project is in east Bellevue, near Larsen Lake and the Lake Hills Greenbelt. Lake Hills Boulevard runs through the project area, and its annual weekday traffic is more than 10,500 vehicles.

    There have been a number of drainage and flooding issues in recent years, including a water main break in the Federal Field parking lot, concerns about the capacity and instability of the Kelsey Creek culverts and significant maintenance needs for other sewer pipes in the area. To minimize disruption on the surrounding community, improve efficiencies between systems and keep costs down, the City will address all of these issues at the same time.

    The project goal is to develop a comprehensive solution for the Kelsey Creek culvert, Federal Field parking lot sewer and water pipes, and sewer pipes next to Federal Field.

    The project team conducted a thorough environmental review in developing the design alternatives for review. The alternative chosen will:

    • extend the lifespan of the pipes and improve reliability
    • reduce operations and maintenance needs
    • improve fish passage in Kelsey Creek

    This project is in the alternative analysis phase, which is when the team develops several options to solve the problem and ultimately selects one alternative that meets the project technical needs, is within budget and minimizes impacts on the community. Design will begin after the alternative has been selected, which is anticipated for early 2022. Construction is anticipated for 2024.


  • PROJECT ALTERNATIVES

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    This fall, the design team developed 3 alternatives to evaluate. Each alternative is designed to solve the flooding and reliability problems in a unique way.

    Each alternative must:

    • Work – the most basic criteria, the alternative must work technically to solve the problem
    • Be permittable – several regulatory agencies have jurisdiction in the area, and the selected alternative must meet permitting requirements
    • Fit within budget
    • To the extent possible, minimize impacts to the community

    Because of the nature of the project area, there are a few specific technical issues the team will plan around, including:

    • Minimizing conflicts with existing utilities, like fiber optics, cable, natural gas, and sanitary sewer lines
    • Instability of peat soils in the project area and potential need for additional structural support
    • Operations and maintenance needs

    Working with all of these criteria and design considerations in mind, the team developed alternatives A, B and C, shown in the following sections.

  • ALTERNATIVE A

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    Alternative A

    In this project approach, the City would:

    • Replace the current stream crossing structure (culvert) with a larger culvert in the same location.
    • Relocate the water main to the north and above the new culvert.
    • Construct a sewer pipe that will cross beneath the culvert.
    • Raise the level of Lake Hills Boulevard.
    • Alternative would result in minimal changes to the existing stream channel or surrounding habitat.

    Benefits

    Anticipated impact

    • Will provide reliability to the water system and work effectively
    • Increased culvert opening will help reduce surface flooding at the site
    • Provides ability for fish passage but does not create additional habitat
    • Impacts to Lake Hills Boulevard during construction
    • Minimal need for easements
    • Impacts to Lake Hills Greenbelt and Federal Field parking lot during construction
    • Least community impact
    • Requires relocation of sewer under creek
  • ALTERNATIVE B

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    Alternative B

    In this approach, the City would:

    • Construct a larger culvert to replace the current culvert, west of the current location.
    • Relocate the water main to the north and above the new culvert.
    • Replace the current sewer pipe with a larger pipe.
    • Re-align the Lake Hills Greenbelt Trail.
    • Slightly raise the level of Lake Hills Boulevard and Federal Field Parking Lot.
    • Realign Kelsey Creek to the west of its current location in the Lake Hills Greenbelt.

    Benefits

    Anticipated impact

    • Will provide reliability to the water and sewer system and work effectively
    • Increased culvert opening will help reduce surface flooding at the site
    • Provides ability for fish passage and creates moderate additional habitat
    • Moderate impacts to Lake Hills Boulevard
    • Impacts to Lake Hills Greenbelt and Federal Field parking lot during construction
    • Lake Hills Greenbelt Trail will be impacted during construction and alignment will shift


  • ALTERNATIVE C

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    Alternative C

    In this approach, the City would:

    • Construct multiple channels and culverts to replace the current culvert.
    • Relocate the water main to the north and above the new culvert.
    • Potentially replace the existing sewer pipe with a larger pipe.
    • Potentially raise the level of Lake Hills Boulevard and Federal Field Parking Lot.
    • Reconstruct the existing stream channel with two channels within the Lake Hills Greenbelt to provide enhanced fish and wildlife habitat.

    Benefits

    Anticipated impact

    • Will provide reliability to the water and sewer system and work effectively
    • Increased culvert opening will help reduce surface flooding at the site
    • The multiple culverts and channels will provide enhanced wetland/stream function and increase fish and wildlife habitat
    • Impacts to Lake Hills Boulevard during construction
    • Largest impact is to Lake Hills Greenbelt during construction of the multiple culverts, channel improvements and trail shift
    • Potential impact to Federal Field parking lot during construction
Page last updated: 17 Dec 2021, 03:20 PM