DESCRIPTION
Complete final designs and permits for project actions to improve refuge, rearing and foraging habitat for multiple stocks of juvenile salmon in a critical migration corridor through the Tacoma Narrows on the WRIA 12 shoreline. Project actions include: replacing the existing tide gate/4'X102' long culvert with a 96' rail span bridge; removing fill and park infrastructure from the lagoon edges to increase the lagoon size and shoreline complexity to restore salt marsh, riparian buffers, and emergent and forested tidal wetlands; work with the City of Tacoma to improve water quality through green infrastructure and stormwater treatment. Project actions are expected to create a self-sustaining tidal embayment with an open tidal channel passing, vegetated wetland buffers, improved wetland hydrology, reduced beach sediment grain size, and improved eelgrass beds on the delta.
This proposal requests funding for final design of a large span rail bridge to restore fish passage and tidal hydrology to an impounded estuarine embayment and removal of fill to restore estuarine and freshwater tidal wetlands in Titlow Park in the Tacoma Narrows. Project momentum is building with funding for the shoreline armor removal recently secured. Project proponents have completed conceptual lagoon restoration alternatives produced a Type Size and Location study for a rail bridge at this site. BNSF is supportive of the bridge design and has assigned the project a draft construction agreement number. The project concept including a 30" pre-stressed concrete, double cell box beams with (3) 32 foot spans, with (2) piers for the bridge structure has been reviewed and approved by BNSF. This proposal seeks funding to bring project status to final design. The project aims to restore shallow water refugia for rearing populations of chinook, pink, chum and salmon and improve overall productivity and water quality for all nearshore dependent species.
