The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is slated to help restore a key area of the St. Vrain River channel destroyed by the 2013 flood.
Longmont and the Corps are considering a public partnership agreement in which the city would replace the Boston Avenue bridge over St. Vrain Creek and the Corps would make channel improvements between Boston Avenue and South Sunset Street.
The bridge project — called Izaak Walton Reach 2 — is a section of the Resilient St. Vrain Project that was started by the city after the September 2013 floods. The project aims to fully restore the St. Vrain Greenway and improve the St. Vrain channel to reduce the chances of another devastating flood destroying property and killing people, according to city officials.
“This has been an interesting project and one that has brought the community together in one common goal and purpose,” said Dale Rademacher, Longmont deputy city manager.
The details of the agreement with the Army Corps are scheduled to come before city council on Aug. 11, according to Josh Sherman, senior civil engineer with the city of Longmont.
Council on Tuesday night was given a rundown on the progress of the Resilient St. Vrain Project, which may cost nearly $140 million to finish, according to city officials.
Several of the projects were finished with the help of state and federal funds and the city is searching for further funds to finish the rest of the work, Sherman said.
“City staff anticipates a phased approach to the upstream improvements as funding becomes available,” according to a city report on the project.
The Boston Avenue bridge is part of the city’s planned reconstruction of the downstream portion of South Sunset Street to Boston Avenue impacted by flooding, according to the city. The bridge replacement and channel improvements will have a maximum cost of about $15 million. The city is required to provide a minimum funding match of 35%, or approximately $5 million, according to Sherman.
The city’s local cost share would consist of approximately $750,000 in funds for final design and construction; credit for the land and right-of-way along St. Vrain Creek that will be used for the project and acquisition of needed additional land and easements; and replacement of the Boston Avenue bridge, according to Sherman.
The Army Corps will design, bid and construct the channel improvements from Boston Avenue to South Sunset Street, which includes a levee on the north bank adjacent to Izaak Walton Pond, according to Sherman. The city will design, bid and construct the Boston Avenue bridge, which meets part of its funding match for the project. Any improvements constructed by the Corps will be owned and maintained by the city once the project is complete, according to Sherman.
Several Resilient St. Vrain projects have been completed, including the Sandstone Ranch Reach which follows the St. Vrain River channel through the Sandstone Ranch Nature Area and surrounding open space. Crews restored the St. Vrain Greenway trail and rebuilt creek beds to protect trails, access roads and infrastructure from future flood damage, according to the city.
Under construction is City Reach 2B, which is upstream of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway to Colorado Way, city officials said. Work there includes replacing the BNSF railroad bridge.
Correction: The proposed partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers calls for the city to replace the Boston Avenue bridge over St. Vrain Creek, while the Corps would improve the river channel between Boston Avenue and South Sunset Street. That information, as well as the total cost of $15 million and the city's local share were incorrect in the original posting of this story.
