Thurston County, Washington

The content on the Thurston County website is currently provided in English. We are providing the “Translation” for approximately 10 languages. The goal of the translation is to provide visitors with limited English proficiency to access information on the website in other languages. The translations do not translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. The translations are made through an automated process, which may not result in accurate or precise translations, particularly of technical and legal terminology.
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Thurston County Washington

Public Works

Planning & Construction

Aerial image of a roundabout being constructed

Keeping up with Thurston County’s growing population and aging infrastructure requires constant planning and construction activities.

Types of Projects We Plan

  • Roads and bridges
  • Solid waste facilities
  • Parks, open spaces and trails
  • Stormwater infrastructure
  • Water and sewer utilities

Current projects can be viewed on the Public Works Capital Projects Dashboard.

Public comment and review of all Public Works projects is part of the annual update to the county's Capital Improvement Plan. Community advisory boards also provide input on projects planned for solid waste, water and sewer, and stormwater infrastructure. For more information about how you can be involved in the project planning process, visit Community Planning. 

How We Plan Projects

The Office of the County Engineer manages and annually updates a comprehensive transportation program for Thurston County. The program includes a list of 1-year, 6-year, and 20-year planned projects, as well as project funding information.

Transportation Improvement Program

County transportation projects are submitted to the Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) for inclusion in the Regional Transportation Improvement Program.
 
Transportation planning in Thurston County is governed by state laws RCW 36.81 and WAC Title 16.  A public hearing for adoption of the county program is held each fall as part of the annual program update and posted on the Announcements of Public Meetings and Public Hearings page. 

Facilities
Public Works operates three collection sites including the Waste and Recovery Center near Lacey and drop-box facilities in Rainier and Rochester.
Project prioritization can also be found in the most recent Solid Waste Facility Condition Assessment and Infrastructure Management Plan.
 
Waste Management
The Solid Waste Management Plan outlines the management of waste generated in all areas of the county. Strategies address how to manage collection, diversion, storage, processing, transporting and final disposal of waste including recyclables. Public Health and Social Service's Hazardous Waste Plan outlines hazardous planning and guidance for hazardous materials.
Solid Waste projects are planned with guidance from the Solid Waste Advisory Committee. 

Public Works plans, builds and maintains a public network of storm drains, ditches, pipes, ponds, and other related systems across the county. The Thurston County Drainage, Design, and Erosion Control Manual provides engineering standards for stormwater facility design.
Projects are prioritized to reduce flooding, protect water quality, and preserve and restore aquatic habitat in local lakes, streams, wetlands and Puget Sound.

Stormwater projects are planned with the guidance of the Storm and Surface Water Advisory Board and are regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Permit issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology. 

Public Works plans, builds and maintains county owned and operated sanitary sewer systems including facilities in communities of Boston Harbor, Grand Mound, Tamoshan and Olympic View communities.

Projects for water and sewer utilities in the Boston Harbor, Tamoshan and Olympic View communities are planned with input from utility advisory committees.

Public Works plans projects to improve and maintain county owned and operated parks, open spaces and trails. Project planning and prioritization is defined in the Parks, Open Spaces and Trails Plan.

​Studies

To help Thurston County keep up with the growing population and transportation demands, Public Works conducts studies to find the best solutions for our community.

Survey Monuments

Did you know that modern-day property boundaries are based on surveys conducted in Thurston County during the late 1800s? Early surveyors marked out boundary lines using a combination of round brass or metal monument markers, etchings in trees, poles, carved rocks, or just about anything that would stay still. These boundaries serve as the basis for the topographical maps we use to build projects. There are approximately 4200 known monument markers placed around Thurston County.