A $1.4 million project to repair the parking lot, street, and sidewalk in and around Cheney Stadium is scheduled to begin next week, according to city officials. In the City of Tacoma’s January 2012 “New You Can Use” newsletter, city officials report the work is being done so that rainfall soaks into the ground rather than running off into the drains, thereby recharging the groundwater and reducing erosion. Indeed, the project is focused on reducing peak surface water flows and increasing storm water quality in the Flett drainage basin within the City of Tacoma. The ultimate goal of the project is not only water quality, but to spread the water quality message to thousands of baseball fans each year.

In August, Tacoma City Council approved a purchase resolution awarding a contract to Tucci & Sons, Inc. of Tacoma to complete the project, which includes two aspects: Cheyenne Street and the south parking lot. Tacoma Public Works Director Richard McKinley provided details in an Aug. 23 memo to interim city manager Rey Arellano.

According to McKinley, Cheyenne Street will be transformed into a so-called “Complete Street” with green infrastructure. When the project is complete, the finished roadway will be 28 feet wide and include shared lane markings for bicycles; slow travel speed signs will be posted at the curves; a 1O-foot wide sidewalk will be constructed from 19th Street to the north ticket entrance; lighting for pedestrian safety will include three pedestrian LED lights near the ticket booth and cobra head lighting along the length of the street; existing mature trees will be preserved and new complimentary street trees will be provided; a porous asphalt road will be constructed between the first intersection after the Heidelberg Davis Fields and the north ticket booth in order to provide water quality treatment and flow reduction through infiltration; and the southern section of the road between the north ticket booth and the south parking lot will be resurfaced and will discharge stormwater into two rain gardens that will provide water quality treatment and flow reduction through infiltration.

In the south parking lot, McKinley reported a porous asphalt infiltration gallery will be constructed in the eastern half of the main Cheney parking lot. The new infiltration gallery will provide water quality treatment and flow reduction through infiltration. The design is complimented with sustainable landscaping and striping improvements that will increase available parking.

“The Public Works Science and Engineering Division has designed a sustainable project focused on reducing peak surface water flows and increasing stormwater quality in the City of Tacoma Flett Watershed,” wrote McKinley. “The project area includes Cheyenne Street and the parking lot of Cheney Stadium. The site is highly visible to the public and hosts thousands of people each year. Testing and demonstrating innovative stormwater technologies for flow reduction at this location provides a unique opportunity to educate the public about the impact and effectiveness of sustainable stormwater management practices. These locations will also provide an opportunity to affirm the City’s commitment to improving water quality within Tacoma. Additionally, the proposed landscaping improvements within the project area will meet the 25 percent canopy goal for this project.”