Road & Creek Integration

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2018

Even before 2013 Flood waters receded, Boulder County’s Transportation Department recognized a monumental task ahead with the pending recovery process from one of the largest natural disasters in the Colorado’s history. More than 100 miles of county roads, along with several bridges and major culverts were either damaged or completely destroyed. Instead of simply building back what was there before the flood, the team saw this as an opportunity. This was a chance to rebuild infrastructure while also taking into account the dynamics of adjacent creeks so both the watershed and the infrastructure could better withstand the next large flood event. This is where the idea of “building back better” came to life. Since the flood, the Transportation team has rebuilt 90 miles of roadway, restored six miles of county creeks and streams, constructed seven new bridges, and upsized dozens of reinforced concrete culverts that all work together to ensure that the road will remain in place when the rains come again. In addition, the waterways have been reimagined to be better suited to handle high water with heavy flows.