PORT OF SEATTLE
MEMORANDUM
COMMISSION AGENDA – STAFF BRIEFING
Item No.
7b
Date of Meeting
July 28, 2009
DATE: July 14, 2009
TO: Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
FROM: Melinda Miller, Director, Portfolio Management
Tim Leonard, Capital Project Manager
Bob Maruska, Assistant Director of Engineering
SUBJECT: Briefing on Proposed Completion of Fishermen’s Terminal South Wall
Reconstruction (Project No. 104132)
BACKGROUND
The South Wall at Fishermen’s Terminal (FT) was originally constructed in 1914 and
currently separates the facility’s southern uplands from the harbor. A structural condition
survey and evaluation of FT, performed in 1999 by Reid Middleton engineers,
determined that the submerged timber relieving platform component had exceeded its
service life and was at risk of structural failure. This finding was primarily based on the
severe dilapidation that has occurred in the connectors holding the relieving platform
together and the increased loads being placed upon it by subsequent overlying wharf
construction as well as the facility’s current operations.
The majority of the South Wall was reconstructed in 2003-2005 as a major works capital
improvement project. The only portion of the original timber relieving platform still
remaining is approximately 160 lineal feet in length and located at the east end of the
bulkhead that fronts the parcel currently leased by Fishing Vessel Owners (FVO).
Replacement of this section of the bulkhead has been delayed due to various factors: The
unavoidable disruption to FVO’s business operations during construction, and the
formerly planned monorail expansion through this area that would have required
additional reconstruction of the seawall.
We are proposing to complete the replacement of the South Wall in order to alleviate the
safety issue posed by potential structural failure of the underlying timber relieving
platform. A failure of this structure may also result in significant environmental impacts
from disturbing potentially contaminated soils and adversely affecting the harbor’s water
quality.
COMMISSION AGENDA
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
July 22, 2009
Page 2 of 2
PROPOSED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
The start of reconstruction of the remaining section of the South Wall is targeted for fall
2010 with in-water construction taking place during the allowed “fish window” between
October 1st and the following April 15th. Total construction duration is expected to be
approximately eight months and the total preliminary project cost has been estimated at
$5,000,000. The project was included in the 2009 Plan of Finance as a committed project
under CIP C800136 FT East Portion of South Wall.
The proposed design is anticipated to closely follow that already employed in the
previous replacement phases that were completed at FT in 2003-2005. In general, the
replacement of the bulkhead will involve removal of the existing submerged timber
relieving platform and overlying fill material, and the subsequent installation of a new
steel sheet pile bulkhead; concrete deck panels and supporting piles; timber fender
system; and overlying concrete asphalt pavement.
An additional element in this project will be the temporary disconnection and retention of
the existing in-place marine rail system and associated site infrastructure that FVO
currently utilizes to pull vessels out of the water in order to work on them. Details
regarding this will be finalized as part of the project engineering design.
NEXT STEPS
August 2009: Funding authorization for the required permitting, design, and project
management is planned to be requested at a commission meeting.
Spring/summer 2010: Commission authorization for construction funding will be sought
upon completion of the required permitting, engineering design, and final construction
estimate.
Fall 2010: Construction to begin.
Summer 2011: Construction to be completed.
