Staff present 90% plans for Davidson Cut shoreline restoration and seek resilience grants

A staff member presented 90%-complete engineering plans for a Davidson Cut shoreline-restoration project, describing erosion issues and undermined sidewalks along the cut and proposed measures to stabilize the shoreline.

Planned design elements include pushing a sidewalk back behind trees where needed, adding gravel or stone access points for anglers, a terraced approach using a stabilization material (noted in plans as Flex MSC), and small breakwaters on the far side of the bridge to reduce wave action. The plan also calls for a small historic‑preservation garden that preserves a section of an old wall as a focal point with interpretive signage explaining local shipbuilding history. Staff said the engineering work so far was paid for through outside grants and that the city itself did not provide matching capital at this stage.

Staff said grant-seeking will focus on programs such as the National Coastal Resilience Fund and regional programs the engineering team identified; the grant writer will pursue those opportunities. Staff noted tradeoffs discussed in vendor meetings, including preserving a functional outfall that currently filters stormwater before it reaches the river, and that design choices will consider maintenance implications and wildlife habitat (e.g., sunken woody material was discussed as fish habitat during earlier reviews). A committee member (Jerry Samolski was named in discussion) raised concerns about maintenance burden from proposed plantings; staff said detailed planting lists and maintenance expectations will be addressed during contractor selection and final design.