(COLORADO SPRINGS) – Work is now underway to stabilize the stormwater channel along Sand Creek.
“Right now you look at it and it’s dry. But when this creek is running, it’s something to see. It’s several feet of water and moving very, very fast,” commented Richard Mulledy, a water research engineering division manager with the city.
The $5-6 million project will repair and reshape about half mile of Sand Creek south of the Platte Avenue bridge.Structures made out of grouted boulders will be used to raise the creek bed and regrade the creek banks in an effort to reduce erosion.
The finished project will prevent area erosion in years to come, “It’s going to provide certainly some protection for infrastructure and certainly protection for public and private property,” Mulledy said.
Workers will also try to rebuild the natural habitat along the creek and create a safer route for hikers.
Project maintenance paths will eventually be paved over by Parks and Recreation; incorporating them into a much larger trail.
“So it’s a segment of the 14-mile long stretch of the sand creek trail that we’re looking to complete,” stated David Deitemeyer, senior landscape architect with the city.
“It’s a huge project for us, and it’s something we’ve been working on for several years, and I think it’s a great success,” Mulledy said.
