Goat Hill Drainage

Kirkland’s project involves both stormwater improvements and road paving. Kirkland's contractor is on-track to repave the roadway in fall before the October paving deadline.

Not without creating challenges for Goat Hill residents and the project budget. Delaying the stormwater project until Puget Sound Energy finishes relocating its gas lines would almost certainly delay repaving the street until spring, forcing residents to travel along damaged roads during winter. Also, delaying a capital project that is within the contracted schedule would require that the contractor be compensated for unproductive working days and re-mobilization.

Kirkland's public works director used her legal authority to ensure the Goat Hill stormwater drainage project is successful by approving Puget Sound Energy's request for night work.

This decision eliminated the probability of a fatal conflict between the two contractors that would have stymied progress for both the gas line relocation and the stormwater upgrade and significantly reduced residents' access to Goat Hill. 

Puget Sound Energy needs to relocate its gas lines before Kirkland's contractor can build the Goat Hill stormwater system. Those gas lines occupy the space dedicated to the stormwater system. To put it simply, Kirkland's contractor has no place to put the stormwater system if Puget Sound Energy doesn't move its gas lines.

The City of Kirkland hosted public Zoom meetings on May 30 and June 25. Unfortunately, due to a variety of factors, the City was not able to provide adequate notice to residents. Typically, the City tries to provide at least a week’s notice to residents about an upcoming meeting.

After hearing feedback from the Goat Hill community during the June 25 meeting, the City of Kirkland agreed to schedule Puget Sound Energy's night work between 3 p.m. and midnight each day. In addition, PSE’s night work permit requires its contractor to complete most loud tasks earlier in the day.

Goat Hill’s drainage issues derive from two primary sources: groundwater and surface water. The groundwater results from a high water table and Goat Hill’s soil-type. The surface water results from roofs, driveways, sidewalks and other impervious surfaces created during house construction before King County began enforcing modern development standards.

The City is using responding to these challenges with a variety of development standards and capital projects. 

A 2014 study of Goat Hill’s drainage challenges resulted in two capital projects. The first project—which the City completed in fall 2019—increased stormwater capacity on 116th Place Northeast at its intersection with Juanita Drive by installing a stormwater system of pipes, catch-basins and an outfall, from which stormwater now flows into Lake Washington. That project also repaired damaged pavement along 116th Place Northeast. 

The second project is the subject of this webpage.  

Another part of the solution for Goat Hill’s stormwater relies on development standards. The City, for example, requires each house to collect, convey and treat the stormwater it generates. And under some circumstances, the City can channel superficial groundwater into its stormwater system. 

The City ensures residents’ access by regulating developers’ work hours, their traffic control plans, the order of construction and by enforcing development standards.  

For example, Kirkland requires pre-construction meetings between developers utility providers and City staff to discuss project challenges, work hours and dates of conflict, such as garbage days. 

The City also requires developers to widen adjoining roadway sections to 20 feet before construction; a measure that maximizes roadway space while they build homes. 

The City cannot legally withhold or delay the issuance of a permit if the application for that permit is valid and complete.

Kirkland’s maintenance division maintains gravel turnouts in the spring. It is planning to increase maintenance to them. Maintenance crews restore damaged sections of pavement in late spring and summer throughout the city and on Goat Hill.

Kirkland’s most effective tool is to require developers to first widen the road-section in front of the houses they are building.

Along with increased maintenance, the City is also exploring the feasibility of a more comprehensive solution. That solution would likely cost between $1.3 and $1.5 million. Construction, alone, would cost $800,000. These figures do not include recent inflationary increases. 

The roads’ unique characteristics—their widths, topographies and limited access options—make paving Goat Hill significantly more complicated—and expensive—than paving a typical arterial.