Sand Creek construction progressing, moving north

Work on the Sand Creek restoration project is moving north.

Subcontractor Unruh Excavating has now begun demolition activities along Sand Creek from 10th Street to 12th Street. The bike path will be closed on this portion of the project until further notice. The area is a construction zone and is not safe for pedestrians.

Utility Contractors, the prime contractor on the Sand Creek project, continues to install retaining wall and line the banks with stone from Fifth Street north. Wall placement is complete from First Street to Fifth Street, except for the pause point area at Fourth Street on the east bank. It will be completed later this year.

Tuesday subcontractor Barkley Construction will begin installing pathway from First Street to Fifth Street. Work will start on the south end and move north.

The construction of the wetlands portion of the project is also under way, and all grading work will be completed this month. Unruh Excavating is sculpting the 35 acres of wetlands on the northwest corner of Southwest 14th Street and Sand Creek, adjacent to the city’swastewater treatment plant.

When construction is completed, including the planting of vegetation, the wetlands will be filled with effluent water discharged from the wastewater treatment plant. Because effluent water will be used, no fishing or human contact will be allowed in that area, as per Kansas Department of Health and Environment regulations. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers required the construction of the wetlands in order to acquire environmental restoration funds to help pay for the Sand Creek project.

The northern hardwood planting area, another requirement of the environmental restoration funding, will begin taking shape in November or December, with tree plantings on 5 acres of land just west of the Blue Sky Sculpture at Centennial Park, adjacent to the existing bike path.

The southern hardwood planting area will also begin with tree plantings on 7 acres along the north side of Sand Creek, east of Boyd Avenue. Between the two hardwood planting areas, 127 trees will be planted.