Pierce County officials recently announced the new Sewer and Traffic Operations Facility was named a Project of the Year at both the Washington State Chapter and the National level of the American Public Works Association.

The South Hill facility, a grouping of six interrelated buildings, brought staff from Sewer Division Maintenance & Operations, Traffic Operations, and a portion of the Equipment Services Section into a centralized location. The site was chosen for its mid-Pierce County location where the greatest concentration of both sewer and traffic infrastructure currently exists.

The so-called “STOP” facility includes several sustainability features, such as pervious paving in the parking lot, rain gardens, and the use of reclaimed and regional materials. The use of LED lighting and natural ventilation throughout the buildings is both environmentally responsible and resource-efficient, according to Pierce County officials.

Last year, Pierce County received a Project of the Year Award from the Washington State chapter of the American Public Works Association for a project that protects Orville Road from severe erosion created by the Puyallup River (see “Pierce County earns engineering award for Puyallup River flood prevention project,” Tacoma Daily Index, June 6, 2014).