Mercer Island Landscape Design Services
City of Mercer Island
Mercer Island, Washington
Exeltech provided landscape design services to the City’s Public Works Department for 32,327 SF of planter beds across 28 individual right-of-way roadside and medians, and 1,307 SF of planter beds across 12 individual park entrances. Primary tasks included conducting site assessment, data collection and review; designing plantings that optimize visual appeal using low-maintenance plants; preparing plant schedule and maintenance plans that do not excessively burden the City’s resources; assessing existing irrigation systems and developing cost estimates for irrigation repairs and improvements, soil preparations; and coordinating with plant wholesaler to acquire the selected plantings.
The contract was awarded in early May 2021, with a goal of completing Phase 1, the Island Crest Way median, on an accelerated schedule. Island Crest Way is the gateway to the Mercer Island community. The City Council requested this median be planted before the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Our team coordinated with the Public Works Department and the maintenance team on a tight schedule and acquired an understanding of the site constraints and maintenance issues. We conducted an initial assessment of soil, plants, and irrigation. Our team reached out to the plant wholesaler to acquire the plant inventory available at short notice. Plantings were vetted with the key stakeholders and a planting plan and layout was created that would be easy for the maintenance team and volunteers to install in the Island Crest Way median in advance of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. We provided oversight and direction of the installation and were pleased to hear that the Mercer Island community had noticed the planting and provided positive feedback.
On a more paced schedule, our team collaborated with the City to develop a holistic design approach to complete project Phases 1 and 2 . Exeltech has worked diligently with the City maintenance team to assess the feasibility of planting designs. Vehicular traffic sight distance, microclimates, irrigation availability and function, ease of maintenance, and pedestrian and vehicular compaction factors are considered for all designs.