Anchor QEA worked with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Urban Corridors Office for several years providing environmental permitting, wetland, fish and wildlife, and mitigation services, for the I-405 Corridor Program.  The I-405 Corridor Program is a broad term for a program of more than 150 individual, coordinated projects to relieve congestion and improve mobility for motorists, transit, and freight users along the freeway’s 30-mile length.  Several examples of Anchor QEA’s experience on these projects are described below.

I-405, Bellevue Nickel Improvement Project:  Anchor QEA permitted the Bellevue Nickel Improvement Project.  In this role, Anchor QEA also led development of the stream and wetland mitigation plans.  Anchor QEA led the preparation of permit applications, including the Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application (JARPA), Biological Assessment (BA), 404(b)(1) Alternatives Analysis, Shoreline Substantial Development Permit application, Notice of Intent for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit, and associated regulatory documentation required for the design-build project. Anchor QEA also wrote the BA for Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance.

I-405 Mitigation Identification:  Per WSDOT request, Anchor QEA identified, rated, and provided concepts for stream and wetland mitigation projects throughout the north end of the I-405 corridor.   Anchor QEA led all field personnel in evaluating the sites and, after WSDOT selected the applicable mitigation sites, Anchor QEA provided the mitigation designs.

Springbrook Creek Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank:  The Springbrook Creek Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank is a WSDOT and City of Renton partnership project that will re-establish, rehabilitate, enhance, and preserve approximately 131.5 acres of wetland, wetland buffer, and riparian and upland habitat areas on five parcels of land.  Anchor QEA obtained all permits and ESA clearances for the Springbrook Creek Wetland and Habitat Mitigation Bank project on behalf of WSDOT for the I-405 projects.  The Springbrook Bank project required significant permit coordination with federal, state, and local permitting agencies.  The project also required significant ESA coordination with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Anchor QEA is currently providing permit modification and construction support for this project.

For more information on these projects, contact Ann Costanza at acostanza@anchorqea.com.