City of Shoreline, WA : Aurora Corridor Project, N 165th to N 205th Streets

(Please view Construction Updates for detailed information regarding current construction activities.)

The Aurora Corridor Project, a long time Council goal, is the redevelopment of the three miles of Aurora Avenue N that run through Shoreline. The project features improved sidewalks, business access and transit (BAT) lanes, underground utilities, new and natural stormwater, new signals, lighting, and a landscaped median with left and U-turn pockets. Benefits of this redevelopment include enhanced vehicle and pedestrian safety, vehicular capacity and traffic flow, transit operations, drainage systems, and aesthetics, as well as promoting economic development and reinvestment in the corridor.

Initial funding allowed the City to design and construct the first mile of Aurora from N 145th to N 165th Streets. With additional funding secured, the City performed pre-design work and conducted the environmental review process for the last two miles of Aurora. In order to be competitive in seeking outside project funding to complete design and go to construction, the last two miles of Aurora were then broken up into three separate projects: N 165th – N 185th Street, N 185th - N 192nd Streets, and N 192nd – N 205th Streets.

The City assembled an experienced team to assist in the design and construction of these three sections:

HDR Engineering is the design consultant, providing final plans and specifications as well as design services during construction. In this latter role, HDR checks all submittals from the contractors and provides any design modifications needed due to unforeseen circumstances or changes.

KBA Construction Management performs the construction management function, which includes project inspection, testing, and budget and expense tracking.

EnviroIssues is the project community outreach team responsible for 24-hour hotline management and working with the contractor to provide early warning to businesses on changes to their frontage and access.

N 165th to N 185th Streets
Status: Project Completed

Construction of this one-mile section of the Aurora Corridor has been completed. The contractor, Marshbank Construction, Inc., was awarded this project on November 16, 2009 and given notice to proceed on January 4, 2010. Work was substantially completed in 2011, with a few minor tasks completed in 2012.

New stormwater features have been added to this and the last two segments of Aurora. Sections of sidewalk with permeable pavers allow stormwater to filter through the medium around each paver and down to a system of modular blocks. These modular blocks hold lightly compacted soils which promote healthy root and tree growth while bearing loads for above ground streetscapes (this case, sidewalks). Also found along the corridor are bioretention boxes. These landscaped concrete containers allow stormwater to flow through special filter media that captures and immobilizes pollutants.

Contact Us:
Shoreline City Hall 17500 Midvale Ave N Shoreline, WA 98133-4905 (206) 801-2700
Program Manager Kirk McKinley (206) 801-2481 kmckinley@shorelinewa.gov
Capital Projects Manager (N 165th - N 185th) Kris Overleese (206) 801-2482 koverleese@shorelinewa.gov Capital Projects Manager (N 185th - N 205th) John Vicente (206) 801-2474 jvicente@shorelinewa.gov
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N 185th to N 192nd Streets
Status as of April 13, 2012
Construction Phase

Construction of this section of the Aurora Corridor is nearing completion. The contractor, Johansen Excavating, based in Buckley, WA, was awarded this project on December 13, 2010 and it is anticipated that the project will be substantially completed in May 2012. Please visit the Construction Updates for additional information.

Improvements for this section of Aurora are similar to those on the first two miles. New to this segment of the Aurora Corridor Project are “green walls” and a plaza with demonstration garden.

Green walls are walls designed to incorporate living elements such as climbing plants. Due to grade changes in this section of the corridor, retaining walls are necessary on both the east and west sides of Aurora. To help improve the appearance of these structures, the wall allows low-maintenance, evergreen and deciduous plant species to grow on and cover the face of the walls. At some locations, plants will grow up over decorative steel mesh or wire panels to add a three dimensional aspect.

Underground stormwater treatment and storage systems are necessary at N 192nd Street and Aurora, near the King County Metro Park & Ride. Instead of merely covering the storage space with grass or concrete, the City has created a Demonstration Garden. The plaza incorporates rain gardens (which use water-loving plants to mimic forests; collecting, absorbing and filtering stormwater runoff naturally), planting beds, and benches. Educational signs describing the drainage improvements along the Aurora Corridor will be installed (Board 1, Board 2, and Board 3).

N 192nd to N 205th Streets
Status as of April 13, 2012
Design/Right-of-Way Acquisition Phase

HDR Engineering continues design work for Aurora between N 192nd and N 205th Streets with design components similar to those of the other miles of the Aurora Corridor Project. The City has received State approval of its Right-of-Way Plan and property acquisition is underway. City staff have met with property owners to discuss the project and any potential impacts to their respective properties.

On November 17, 2011, Congress awarded $37.5 million to King County for two Metro Transit RapidRide lines. One of those lines, Line E, will run through Shoreline along Aurora. Of the amount awarded to King County, Shoreline will receive $4.8 million to go toward Aurora Corridor Improvements, specifically the section from N 192nd to N 195th Streets.

On November 18, 2011, the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) selected projects for the FY 2013 funding cycle. Shoreline was awarded $6 million for this final phase of the Aurora Corridor Improvement Project. The award was part of TIB’s Urban Corridor Program (UCP).

With this $10.8 million, Shoreline has reached the minimum funding needed to start construction on this final segment of Aurora. At this time, it is anticipated that final design and Right-of-Way Certification will be in place by Summer 2012 allowing the project to go out to bid in Fall 2012, with construction beginning in January 2013.

Overview and History for N 165th to N 205th Streets

Project overview

The City of Shoreline’s Aurora Corridor Project is redeveloping the three miles of Aurora Avenue N (State Route 99) that run through Shoreline. The City completed improvements to the first mile (N 145th to N 165th Streets) in 2007. Improvements to the second mile include:

Delineated driveways
Wider sidewalks separated from the roadway by landscaping and other amenities
Free right-turn lanes at major intersections
Landscaped center medians with left- and U-turn pockets
Traffic- and pedestrian-level lighting
Natural storm water treatments
Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes
Underground utilities

These changes will help promote economic development and reinvestment, and improve vehicular and pedestrian safety, traffic flow, transit speed and reliability, corridor aesthetics, and environmental quality.

Environmental Process
An extensive environmental review and detailed analysis was conducted throughout 2007 by the City and presented to and reviewed by state and federal agencies. The Discipline Reports, Technical Reports and additional analytical documents compiled for this review are available to download at the bottom of this page.

On November 21, 2007, the City’s State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) official determined the project would not have a probable significant adverse impact on the environment. A Mitigated Determination of Nonsignificance (MDNS) was issued with a three week public comment period which ended December 12, 2007.

In November 2007, the City submitted an Environmental Classification Summary (ECS) and attachments to the state. The final National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) approval signature from the Federal Highway Administration was attained on December 28, 2007. With approval of documents in December 2007, the City completed the environmental process for the Aurora Corridor Improvement Project (N 165th to N 205th Streets). Both NEPA and SEPA decisions concluded that there are no probable significant adverse environmental impacts from the project.

Per environmental requirements, a SEPA “Notice of Action” was released by the City’s SEPA Responsible Official to let the community know the City has taken action and is moving forward with the project. In January 2008, Shoreline City Council authorized moving forward with project design and right-of-way acquisition.

Background
The City began the environmental review process in October 2006 with the selection of the consultant Jones & Stokes. The environmental review analyzed the impacts of the design alternatives in a variety of areas such as traffic, land use, air, noise, socio-economics and cultural/historical resources. Additional analysis was done on economics and natural and conventional stormwater management approaches.

The Aurora Business and Community (ABC) Team, a group of 23 volunteers representing a wide variety of interests and viewpoints, assisted the City during the environmental review process by providing additional input. The ABC Team had its final meeting June 27, 2007 where it unanimously agreed to recommend that the Council adopt the revised Implementation Strategies (formerly the "32 Points") and the Draft Recommended Alternative.

At the July 16, 2007, City Council Aurora public hearing, an overwhelming majority of people spoke in favor of this preferred project alignment. At its July 23 meeting, Shoreline City Council unanimously selected the Draft Recommended Alternative as the Preferred Alternative alignment for the Aurora Corridor N 165th to N 205th Streets Project. Staff was then able to move forward to complete the environmental process and submit paperwork to the appropriate agency officials.

Translation Available

Aurora Translations

If you would like to communicate with the City of Shoreline about the Aurora Corridor Project in another language, please send your questions and contact information to the email or address below.

Kris Overleese, City of Shoreline
17500 Midvale Avenue N, Suite 100
Shoreline, WA 98133

Related Links

SEPA-NEPA Documents