Pierce County residents who live near Purdy Lane and 144th Street Northwest can provide input on a proposed project to improve Purdy Creek’s water quality and fish habitat at a meeting on Jan. 16.

The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Peninsula High School library, 14105 Purdy Dr. NW in Gig Harbor.

“Purdy Creek flows through pipes and a box culvert under a local gas station,” said Hans Hunger, Pierce County Public Works and Utilities capital improvement program manager. “The size of the structures is making it difficult for fish to move upstream for spawning. There are also water quality concerns, as water draining from the gas station parking lot and nearby roads goes directly into the stream.”

Pierce County staff is seeking community feedback on two alternatives:

• Purchase the Purdy Chevron Gas Station at 14317 Purdy Lane NW if the owner is agreeable. The county would remove the building and parking lot, install a larger culvert or bridge at 144th Street Northwest, and create an estuary on the gas station site.

• Move the creek approximately 200 feet east of its current location and install a larger culvert or bridge at 144th Street Northwest and Purdy Lane Northwest.

“This is a complex project with many parts,” said Hunger. “We want the residents to look at these ideas and tell us which is more preferable before moving to the next step.”

The next step of the project is to secure funding. If funding becomes available, construction is estimated to start in 2017.

The project website is available online at the Pierce County website.