Work continues to help rehabilitate approximately 10 acres of wetland as part of Pierce County’s Canyon Road Regional Connection Project.
In December 2020, Pierce County took ownership of a property along Canyon Road East and Pioneer Way East that will be used for project right of way. Over the past month, the county has hauled out junk like rusty trailers, abandoned cars, concrete slabs, and scrap metal from the property.
The previous owner also removed junk in 2019 before the sale. During construction, more harmful materials like an underground storage tank and contaminated soils will be removed.
The Canyon Road Regional Connection Project will extend Canyon Road East from Pioneer Way East to 70th Avenue East in Fife – completing an important connection between Frederickson and the Port of Tacoma. Pierce County will invest more than $1.5 million for environmental mitigation exclusively in the Canyon Road East corridor.
In addition to the junk removal, the future wetland rehabilitation work will include installing woody habitat structures in streams, removing invasive plants and replacing them with native vegetation, and replacing impassable fish barrier culverts.
“This is an example of how transportation projects can thoughtfully consider our natural spaces and the ecosystems,” said Brian D. Stacy, P.E., Planning and Public Works county engineer. “Not only are we restoring the areas directly impacted, but we are doubling the environmental benefits by rehabilitating and enhancing existing habitat.”
Construction on the road project is planned to begin 2025, pending funding.
Learn more about these and other project environmental benefits at www.canyonroadconnection.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Anne Radford, Pierce County public information specialist
[email protected]
(253) 798-2464