Ribbon cutting scheduled for Monday

By Tara Nelson

The city of Blaine has scheduled a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the reconstruction of Marine Drive for 1 p.m. Monday, June 18 on Marine Drive across from the Blaine Harbor Boating Center.

Blaine public works director Steve Banham said the new street is curved along its length, helping to slow traffic, and includes new sidewalks along portions of the roadway where they were previously lacking. Other improvements include pedestrian crossings, as well as curbs and gutters along the entire length.

Rain gardens for treatment of stormwater have also been constructed, and new period lighting was installed to enhance visibility at night.
The ceremony also signifies the completion of the city’s new wastewater equalization tank as part of the construction of the water reclamation facility scheduled to begin construction in 2008.

That project, designed by TetraTech/KCM of Seattle, includes reconstruction of approximately 2,300 feet of roadway and a 400,000-gallon wastewater storage tank under a portion of the new roadway.
Banham said the new storage tank, designed to retain diluted wastewater during heavy winter storms to prevent wastewater overflows or spills, eliminates the need to deploy the cumbersome aboveground rubber bladders used to date. The new tank will work effectively with the future treatment plant to be built on the north side of Marine Drive, slated to begin construction in 2008.

He added that additional future improvements to the two remaining sections of the roadway on the east and west are being addressed in ongoing master planning between the City and the Port of Bellingham. Improvements at the eastern end of Marine Drive will be designed to connect with planned DOT improvements at Peace Portal Drive related to reconstruction of the Peace Arch Border Crossing.