Email sent 3/28/17: The developer for the newer homes along this roadway installed the roadway frontage improvements including the sidewalk and ditch. They had the option of either installing the ditch or a piped system but chose ditch to reduce the overall cost for the development as well as the future cost of the homes. The City has received several requests over the years to fill this ditch but it is considered a lower priority than others throughout the City since there is a sidewalk to walk on and were designed and function correctly.

The City does from time to time pipe ditches and fill them. This is typically done in areas we have limited shoulders, a history of accidents, or standing water that will not drain. Within the Allentown Neighborhood, the City has recently piped the ditch along 44th Ave S. and along 44th Pl S, and the one along S. 122nd about 10 years. We also have done this in other areas throughout the City. Unfortunately, we have miles of ditches and limited funding to address each of them. Because of this we take care of the worst of them as funding permits and prioritize this need along with other drainage issues including flooding and failing pipes.

I also would like to see this as well as most ditches in the City piped and filled. However, given the backlog of various drainage needs, I do not anticipate that this ditch will be filled in the foreseeable future. Please let me know if you have any further questions concerning this issue.

Thanks,

Ryan Larson, P.E.
Senior Program Manager – Surface Water
6300 Southcenter Blvd, Suite 100
Tukwila, WA 98188-2544
(206)-431-2456 (work)
(206) 571-1668 (cell)
Ryan.Larson@TukwilaWA.gov

The City of opportunity, the community of choice.

Your request regarding a stormwater/sewer issue has been closed. **INSERT ONE SENTENCE ON RESOLUTION HERE.**

Thank you for partnering with us to keep Tukwila a great place to live, work and visit!

Regards,
Tukwila Public Works Department

Ryan's response is comprehensive and good. I understand that this issue is now closed.

However, I favor open ditches. Here's a site with details on the benefits of open ditches:
http://www.summitengineer.net/projects-and-initiatives/stormwater-management/ditches?start=2

Here's some details from the site:

Improved Water Quality

An open ditch helps to maintain healthy water quality in receiving streams:

Vegetation in a roadway drainage ditch provides valuable filtering of water. Roadways gradually accumulate rubber tire wear, lubricants, metal particles, rust fragments and other substances from the wear and weathering of motor vehicles. These substances, as well as roadway materials loosened by wear and weathering, are washed from roadways by rain water. Ditch vegetation helps to trap these substances, and reduce flow rates, promoting settlement of solid particles and preventing them from entering the natural waterways. Mowing of roadside ditches should be kept to a minimum in order to maximize filtering.
Ditches reduce flow rates and increase storage of excess rainwater which helps reduce downstream erosion and the impact on stream habitat caused by high concentrations of suspended solids.
The detection of illicit discharges is easier in open ditches than in closed piped systems. EPA rules require that non-rainwater discharges be eliminated from urban drainage systems. Such discharges include failing septic system discharges and disposal of solvents, motor vehicle fluids, and cleaning products.

The open ditch debate should be taken up within the normal development process available to citizens within the Public Comment period posted near developments by the Planning Department. We rely on citizens to be engaged and steer policy within the formal process at City Hall. This forum is for things like potholes, pollution, street lights and signs and daily maintenance tasks. It is not within our ability to decide city policy within this forum. You may elect to attend a city council meeting and discuss your ideas with city leaders you have elected to represent you. Their calendar can be found at http://www.tukwilawa.gov/departments/city-council/