Public Works staff spotlights copious projects at meeting

Published 3:30 pm Thursday, October 30, 2025

Starting with parks, recreation and open space projects and finishing off with water utility projects, members of the Mercer Island Public Works team gave a robust 2025-2026 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) update at city council’s Oct. 21 regular meeting.

The presentation featured 55 pages and spotlighted projects that are “modernizing our infrastructure and building resiliency into our facilities,” noted Chief of Operations Jason Kintner.

In all, 20 staff members are overseeing more than 148 projects in the current biennium — within the six-year CIP — that total $105.5 million. Along with the aforementioned project areas, the staff’s schedule is rounded out with projects focused on public buildings; streets, pedestrian and bicycle facilities; and sewer and stormwater utilities.

Public Works Deputy Director Kellye Hilde said staff’s substantial workload consists of managing everything from planning and design to construction and maintenance.

“None of this happens without the team. We’ve got a talented group of engineers, landscape architects, project managers, inspectors and management staff working behind the scenes to keep projects moving and on track. Their combined experience and collaboration are what makes it possible to deliver such a large and diverse program,” she said.

In the parks, recreation and open spaces realm, Capital Parks Manager Shelby Perrault said there are nearly 30 capital projects on tap for this biennium supported by an $18.1 million investment.

She added that nearly one third of that funding comes from grants: “This is a major achievement that reflects our team’s success in leveraging external resources.”

Completed projects are the Luther Burbank Park Boiler Building (included seismic, structural and facility improvements); Luther Burbank Park south shoreline (included placement of fish habitat gravel and large woody debris that helped enhance aquatic habitat and address erosion issues); “Jake Jacobson” Pickleball Courts at Luther Burbank Park (eight new courts, plus commending Jacobson’s service to the Mercer Island community); and Roanoke Park playground replacement (now features new climbing structures, swings, an ADA parking stall and more).

On the public buildings front, Perrault noted that 20 projects are underway and are bolstered by a $15 million investment.

“This ongoing investment helps ensure our buildings remain safe, efficient and responsive to the needs of both the community and our staff,” she said.

Projects that have reached completion are: Public Works Building seismic retrofit repairs; Mercer Island Thrift Shop improvements (including rebuilding the walkway structure in front and the garage); and facility access control security upgrade at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center, Luther Burbank Administrative Building and Caretakers Facility.

On the streets, pedestrian and bike facilities front, there are more than 25 projects on the docket this biennium with a budget sitting at more than $12 million ($2.2 million is funded from Sound Transit settlement funds).

On the completed list are the Town Center Commuter Parking Lot; 2023-2024 Island Crest Way corridor improvements; and 80th Avenue pedestrian improvements.

Active projects in the sewer facility sphere include Lakeline Reach 1 capacity improvements (addressing deficiencies in a critical 2.5-mile segment of sewer pipeline); general sewer plan and hydraulic model; upgrading the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system at 17 sewer pump stations to provide modernized monitoring, control and data capabilities; and the Sewer Pump Station 20 Replacement Project.

The city has completed the stormwater utility Subbasin 23.2 watercourse improvements project that included stabilizing approximately 300 feet of open watercourse channel, located west of West Mercer Way near the 4300 block.

Three water utility projects that have reached completion are the north and south reservoir tank improvements (included replacing the interior and exterior coatings, installing new stairways to the top of the tanks and more), reservoir booster pump station upgrade and reservoir standby generator replacement.