Anchor QEA provided planning, design, and permitting services for the Federal Way Department of Parks and Recreation as the prime consultant for this trail improvements project.  The 73-acre West Hylebos Wetlands Park, located in the City of Federal Way just 1 mile west of Interstate 5, is an oasis of wildlife habitat in an increasingly urban setting.  The day-use park was previously owned and managed by Washington State Parks, but it was transferred to the City of Federal Way in 2004.  When the park was established in 1991, a 3,690-foot-long timber boardwalk was built meandering through the forested natural peat bog.  Due to the design of the structure and the wet and shaded conditions of this environment, the aging timber boardwalk showed significant signs of deterioration.

The project consisted of replacing the existing boardwalk to improve public access, while keeping impacts to the sensitive environment to a minimum.  The design intent for the new boardwalk was to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, to keep maintenance requirements to a minimum, to make it easy to replace segments of the boardwalk if they became damaged, and to use materials and methods that would allow for an extended service life of the structure.  Anchor QEA’s role in this project included design, permitting, construction documents, and construction support.

Following a thorough inspection and evaluation of existing conditions, design options for different foundation types were explored and compared with respect to their impact on the sensitive environment and cost.  Based on these findings, a combination of two different foundation systems was recommended.  Recycled materials, including plastic/wood composite decking and polystyrene filled tires, were used to reduce maintenance and achieve a more environmentally sustainable project.  The project received grant funding from the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board in 2005, and was completed in late 2007.