Cherry Creek Greenway

Rehabilitation of Cherry Creek and Cherry Creek Trail

Location: Denver Reach

As part of a multi-disciplinary team, Stream LA+P performed visioning, planning, and construction documentation for stream and trail corridor improvements for approximately $13 million in improvements for over one mile of the important Cherry Creek drainageway and popular recreation corridor. With our project partners we developed a project scope that included planning and design of new regional trail alignments and community connections, secondary trails, greenway and channel cross sections, underpasses and bridges, channel stabilization and grade-control structures, and ecological vegetation and habitat improvements. Stream led the initial overall visioning exercises to identify regional scale improvements that is transforming the entire corridor into a multi-use amenity offering better trail connectivity to the region, and improved habitat and hydrology in the channel. Project challenges included variable land ownership and easements, dynamic river hydrology, busy roads adjacent to the river, and extremely high recreational multi-modal use.

Stream provided a variety of services for the project including regional and site-scale alternatives development, trail layout, stream channel configuration and layout, restorative re-vegetation design, and visual simulations of proposed solutions. Deliverables included a master plan for the project corridor, and construction documents. Completed in 2021.

Location: Parker Reach

Stream LA+P co-led conceptual design and construction documents and is providing construction monitoring for the restoration of a severely degraded ~1,500 LF reach of Cherry Creek. The reach’s disconnected hydrology resulted in a dramatic loss of mature cottonwood trees and valuable riparian vegetation. Stream LA+P developed overall landscape-based solutions for channel improvements including drop structures, grading, water quality, and habitat areas as well as trail adjustments to enhance open space and passive recreation amenities. Construction involved close collaboration with the project engineer, ecologist, and contractor in the design as well as in the field during grading and planting to establish native communities based on channel hydrology and track fulfillment of woody vegetation mitigation requirements for the Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse. Completed in 2022.