The Port of Tacoma will mark Earth Day by calling for bids to enhance and restore a premier habitat site near Hylebos Creek.
Plans for the 23-acre site on Marine View Drive include excavating contaminated and unsuitable soils and creating freshwater and intertidal marsh, forested upland and riparian habitat.
The Port bought the former Parsons property in 2005 for future habitat mitigation and restoration. Its tidally influenced location at the mouth of the salmon-bearing Hylebos Creek makes it especially valuable as restored habitat.
It also sits next to habitat sites restored by other organizations, providing broader environmental benefit by connecting several restored areas along the creek.
Plans for the Port property are divided into five separate projects to fulfill current or future habitat restoration requirements. Designs for the projects, however, took into account the whole parcel to provide the most valuable environmental benefit.
When the restorations are complete, the property will provide about 23 acres of freshwater and intertidal marsh, forested upland and riparian habitat along Hylebos Creek. It will provide resting and feeding areas for young salmon before they head out to Puget Sound, as well as a home to native plants, water birds and other wildlife.
The site’s design, restoration and ongoing monitoring is expected to cost about $12 million.
This call for bids seeks a contractor to remove contaminated and unsuitable soils, fill and grade a former gravel mine, demolish structures from a former concrete recycling facility, create suitable habitat and plant native vegetation to meet local, state, tribal and federal requirements.
Bids are due May 12.
Find maps, descriptions of the habitat and updates on its progress at http://www.portoftacoma.com/hylebos-creek.
About the Port of Tacoma
The Port of Tacoma is an economic engine for South Puget Sound, with more than 43,000 family-wage jobs in Pierce County and 113,000 jobs across Washington state connected to Port activities. A major gateway to Asia and Alaska, the Port of Tacoma is among the largest container ports in North America. The Port is also a major center for bulk, breakbulk and project/heavy-lift cargoes, as well as automobiles and trucks.
Contact: Tara Mattina, Port of Tacoma, (253) 428-8674