Kent secures $2.75m for flood resilience works on Mill Creek
City of Kent Public Works Department, Washington · Meeting date: November 3, 2026 · Published: November 4, 2026
Kent has authorised two grant awards that will support a road-raising scheme linked to the Milwaukee II Levee and the replacement of undersized culverts at Earthworks Sediment Pond. The projects target flood conveyance, access and fish passage in the Mill Creek corridor.
Key points
- Council unanimously approved acceptance of a $2 million Washington State Public Works Board grant for the South 259th Street Flood Resiliency Project.
- The road-raising project will remove temporary HESCO barriers used during the December 2025 flood and raise South 259th Street between the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and 3rd Avenue South.
- Council also approved a $750,000 King County Flood Control District grant for replacement of two deteriorating Mill Creek culverts at Earthworks Sediment Pond.
- The Earthworks project is scheduled to complete design and permitting by December 2027, with construction targeted for completion in November 2029.
Full report
Kent City Council has approved acceptance of $2.75 million in state and county grants for two flood-resilience projects in the Mill Creek area, combining a road-raising scheme with a culvert replacement designed to improve flow and fish passage.
The larger award, $2 million from the Washington State Department of Commerce Public Works Board, will fund the South 259th Street Flood Resiliency Project. The scheme covers South 259th Street between the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and 3rd Avenue South.
The city used HESCO flood barriers to protect the area during the December 2025 flood event. The proposed works will remove those temporary barriers and raise South 259th Street to provide additional freeboard. The city describes the road works as an initial phase of the Milwaukee II Levee.
The Public Works Board grant represents the maximum available under a programme offering $10 million across 19 counties affected by the December 2025 event. The funding agreement identifies a total estimated project cost of $2.31 million, with any additional funds required to come from Kent's Drainage Fund. The agreement allows 12 months from execution for project completion.
In a separate consent-calendar action, the council authorised a $750,000 award from the King County Flood Control District's Steve Bleifuhs Memorial Flood Reduction Grant programme for the Earthworks Sediment Pond Culvert Replacement Project.
That project will replace two adjacent, undersized and deteriorating corrugated-metal culverts at the downstream end of the sediment pond in Earthworks Park with a larger structure. Kent says the replacement will improve Mill Creek conveyance and fish passage to the Upper Mill Creek basin, while reducing flood risk downstream. It is also intended to preserve maintenance access to the sediment pond and trail access through Mill Creek Canyon and Earthworks Park.
The county grant will fund final design, permitting and part of construction. The project scope assigns 10% of the grant budget to plans, 6% to permitting and technical support, and 83% to bidding and construction. Final plans and permits are scheduled for December 2027, with construction completion scheduled for November 2029.
Kent said any funding beyond the $750,000 grant for the Earthworks scheme would come from its Drainage Fund or other grant sources.
This summary was generated by AI based on the source document and may contain errors.
Source: City Council Meeting City Council Regular Meeting, City of Kent Public Works Department