Be prepared for traffic delays

The widening project of the Woodinville-Duvall Road has begun.

From the City of Woodinville's website:

"The Woodinville-Duvall Road Widening Project involves the widening of NE Woodinville-Duvall Road from 156th Avenue NE to the east City limits at 171st Place NE. The existing two-lane roadway will be widened to three-lanes to provide an additional center turn lane and improved sidewalks and bike lanes. Other improvements will include drainage improvements, traffic signal improvements, street lighting, and landscape improvements. The overall length of the project is approximately 1.1 miles. The primary purpose of the project is to improve safety and to relieve traffic congestion."

Of interest to those living south of the Woodinville-Duvall Road, in the general area of 156th Ave. NE and to those in South Snohomish County (75th Ave. SE, aka, Bostian Road) ...

There's a new reader board on 156th Ave. NE which says:
"April through September", "Expect Long Delays" and "Alternate Route Advised".

The added colors are solely location representations of 156th Ave. & Woodinville-Duvall Road

 photos by Bill Stankus
April 16, 2014

Public space at Brightwater

Brightwater Sewage Plant is, more or less, the reason for the current Wellington Hills Mess.  King County and Ron Sims wanted a new sewage plant somewhere in northern King County.  By some means they decided Snohomish County was a much better place for their sewage. 

Surprisingly (or not) Snohomish County politicians liked having a King County sewage plant in Snohomish County. I'm taking a wild guess, but maybe the pot o' gold they received had something to do with their approving the project.  $70 million dollars is a tidy sum of cash. 

So, Brightwater, aka, a big sewage plant with deep tunnels to Puget Sound was built - complete with public art, green areas, duck ponds and walking trails ... and, in the wheeling’s and dealing’s between Kingco and Snoco, it was decided a community park should be built as a soothing salve for residents near Brightwater. 

 "Oh, Look!" someone way up in Everett said, "what about the Wellington Hills Golf Course? Isn't that a perfect place for a Community Park?"  Or something like that.  

Later on, probably during a County sponsored Wafflefest, the words, “community park” were transmogrified into “regional sports complex”. 

Sorry kiddies, but we'll save that supplementary tale for another bedtime story. 

Today’s civics lesson is about having zillions of dollars and creatively spending it on a place for people to maybe gather, relax, walk dogs and pet weasels ... to aimlessly meander and maybe look at trees, birds and other disappearing natural things.

Here we go … a stroll around the Brightwater Sewage Plant.

One of several Grand Entrances.

When needing a break, these ever popular- but usually empty - benches offer ...

                                         

yes, they offer numerous scenic views of ...

                                         

(wait for it) .... the sewage plant!

                                        

A not untypical crowded Brightwater trail.  That's Rt. 9 and Costco is just over the horizon line.

                                  

At least the fowl are comfortable. BTW, there are seemingly miles of white pipe everywhere.

Zen-ish rock gardens, in a bureaucratic sort of way.

                                                        

Public plumbing art. The last time I was there a child was crying. Overwhelmed I suppose.
                                                                       

                                                                        

Very practical space and on the weekends usually without people.

                                            

The Bridge to a maze of trails with views of white pipe and big sprinklers.

                                   

Oh, you know this one, you can see it from Rt.9

                                                          

I concur, I never drink water at a sewage plant.

                                                            

photos by Bill Stankus

2013