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July 16, 2014
Big Rock Park plan approved
Salmon recovering, not yet safe
By Ari Cetron
Local groups have been working to save the Lake Sammamish kokanee salmon, and while the news over the past few years isn’t tremendously better, it is less bad. “We’re doing better, but it’s still verging on extinction,” said David St. John of the King County Department of Natural Resources during the July 8 City Council meeting. St. John spoke about the work being done to preserve the fish by the Kokanee Work Group. Sammamish is a member of the group, which includes representatives from other cities, the county and the state. St. John explained about the kokanee, a variety of salmon native to the area. Unlike its more commonly known cousins, such as coho or sockeye, kokanee do not go to the ocean. The only living members of the species spawn in streams in Sammamish and live their lives, about three years, in Lake Sammamish before returning to spawn. There used to be kokanee living in other streams in the region and a population in Lake Washington. Those have all gone away, leaving only a few streams in Sammamish, and some shoreline areas around the lake, as the only spawning grounds. The species is genetically unique, St. John said. Though scientists have made efforts to plant other kokanee in the lake, they cannot find any indication that they survived. The fish is increasingly challenged, St. John said. He noted that since there are only three
Big Rock Park might be getting some elevated walkways, but that will likely be for another City Council to decide. The council unanimously approved a master plan for the park July 8. Most of the park’s amenities were uncontroversial, and went through without any discussion. However, councilmembers voted on four specific parts of the park plan individually. Mayor Tom Vance conducted the votes in a way that limited opportunities for councilmembers to make amendments (see sidebar), though some did happen. Big Rock park will eventually be 51 acres generally north of Pine Lake. Mary Piggott, owner of the property, donated it to the city with the understanding that it would be used as a passive
By Ari Cetron
File photo
Open meadows are one of the features of Big Rock Park. They will remain, generally open; no ballfields will be built on the land. park – meaning no organized Piggott’s home, where she walkways. The elevated strucballfields. intends to live for the foreseetures would reach a maximum One chunk of the park, able future. of about 15 feet off the ground, known As parcel A is already the Perhaps the most controverthough in other places it would city’s. Piggott will give the city sial part of the plan, and the part be rather low. parcel B at an unspecified time that generated the most discusSee PARK, Page 2 in the future. Parcel C includes sion, was a call for elevated
Weeklong traffic snarl starts Friday on I-90 By Sam Kenyon
Drivers heading to Mercer Island or Seattle along I-90 should ready themselves for significant delays due to a large construction project that begins July 18. Westbound I-90 will be reduced to one lane for seven straight days as the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) replaces the expansion joints on the East Channel Bridge, which links Mercer Island to Bellevue. WSDOT recommends all drivers utilize alternative strategies to reduce the inevitable traffic buildup. “Traffic and delays are going to be hard to judge right now,” said Kris Olsen, a spokeswoman for the WSDOT. “A lot of it depends on what drivers do.” Drivers are encouraged to use any and all resources to reduce their westbound I-90 commute such as carpooling, alternate
On the Web
For more details, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/ i90/wbeastchnlbrdgexpjointrpr.
Photo courtesy WSDOT
The expansions joints -- the metal strip running across the road, are set to be replaces next week. routes, telecommuting, delay“We’re thinking probably two ing discretionary trips, and only and a half, three miles of backup using westbound I-90 early in probably if no one really changthe morning or late at night. es their habits,” Olsen said.
The two expansion joints to be replaced are each 92 feet long and were installed in 1981. In 2001, WSDOT discovered that water was leaking into the joints due to a broken rubber seal. Water and contaminants flowed into the joints causing deterioration. Emergency repairs were made, but the rubber seal must be replaced. WSDOT estimates the project will cost $3.4 million. “They’ve reached the end of their useful life,” Olsen said. “We need to replace them now before we encounter a more serious problem, which would be a failure of the joint altogether.” See ROAD, Page 3
See SALMON, Page 3