Ribbon-cutting for "Big Ditch"

2014-0214-wymans

The Port held a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday morning for what Port Executive Director Bob Hyde called Wyman’s big ditch.

During brief remarks near the habitat restoration project just east of what used to be called Randy’s Pier 61 restaurant, Hyde alluded to Valentine’s Day, saying “If anything says love, it’s holding a ceremony for a big ditch.”

Frankly, the project, which cost $1.2-million, looked like a big ditch with no water in it at low tide. At high tide, however, the basin fills with seawater.

The project scope included removing old in-water and upland structures, excavation of the upland and intertidal areas to create a saltwater marsh habitat area. Up to 13,000 cubic yards of material were excavated and the area regraded to create intertidal and saltmarsh habitats and a vegetated transition slope in the upper intertidal area. The project also included new public access to a viewing platform on the east side of the site with pedestrian access to U Street.

A challenge of the Wyman's project was the breaking and excavation of over 3,000 tons of unpredictable bedrock encountered throughout the site. Following excavation, a rock retaining wall was constructed and 3,500 tons of imported habitat fill were placed.

The habitat restoration project was required to mitigate shoreline impacts resulting from the Pier 1 redevelopment work done for Dakota Creek along Guemes Channel. The mitigation habitat compensates for loss of in-water habitat from bulkhead filling and dredging for the ship basin.