About Washington Park
The future 88-acre park will be located at the site of the borrow pit the Florida Department of Transportation created in 1957 when dirt was needed to build the U.S. 41 overpass near 29th St E, north of Palmetto.
What is going on now?
Dredge material is being transported from Port Manatee to be used as fill for the borrow pits at Washington Park. The fill is being trucked 7.5 miles along U.S. 41 and brought into Washington Park from the north side via 39th St E. The fill material will be used to fill the borrow pits and create a contour landscape with walking paths and boardwalks. The fill placement aims to preserve the historical ratio of wetland and upland habitats and create a dedicated stormwater treatment pond area. The cost to move the material is between $6 million and $9 million which will be paid by the Army Corps of Engineers. The project requires about 62,000 truckloads and could take up to 9 years to complete this phase.
Future Plans
The southeast portion of Washington Park has 12 upland acres which will be home to the park’s recreational amenities, such as a central pavilion, a children’s play area, and a multi-use field. Manatee County Government is moving forward with design and permitting for the first phase of the project and has committed $1.8 million in funding to develop the park’s recreational amenities.
