PROJECT:
kids creek
crossing improvement
Natural stream function restoration.
This project continues work on The Watershed Center’s Kids Creek Restoration Project. We are continuing our successful partnership with the City of Traverse City to improve road stream crossings that are negatively affecting natural stream function.
This project will replace the undersized and misaligned culvert on Kids Creek at 11th Street. This work is critical to maintain proper stream dimensions and sediment transport in the creek and will restore and protect the habitat necessary for thriving fish communities (a key factor in getting Kids Creek removed from the State of Michigan’s Impaired Waters List).
This is an optimal crossing to replace because it is in between other recent road crossing improvement projects, building on the success of those installations.
Surveying and engineering work will occur in 2025, with construction planned for early 2026.
Project Status: in progress
Installations:
- 1 road crossing improvement
Project partners:
- City of Traverse City
Funding source:
- Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s Nonpoint Source Program by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
- City of Traverse City
Total project cost:
- $791,050
- Restored crossing
- Current project
Project Highlight
Previous Kids Creek crossing improvements
In 2021, we partnered with the City of Traverse City to improve five undersized road stream crossings within the city limits that were negatively affecting natural stream function.
The first three crossings replaced were on the main branch of Kids Creek where it crosses Cedar Street (twice) and 6th Street. All three culverts were removed and replaced with single concrete box culverts that were the appropriate size to help restore the natural function of the creek, reduce scouring and sedimentation, and provide a stable environment for fish and macroinvertebrates.
The remaining two crossings replaced were located on parkland owned by the City of Traverse City north of where Kids Creek crosses Silver Lake Road. This project removed the crossings entirely and replaced them with pedestrian bridges that are much less impactful to the creek but still maintain connectivity and walkability in the community.
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