SEMCOG’s member meetup in Ann Arbor was about a year in the making, but that is a minor amount of time in comparison to the many years of effort it took for the Allen Creek Berm project to become a reality. Back in 2007, the city’s flood mitigation plan recommended mitigation in the Depot Street area. Thirteen years (and a whole lot of careful planning and preparation work) later, the railroad was closed for 36 hours to complete the tunnels in May of 2020.
Earlier this month, Jerry Hancock, Storm Water and Floodplains Coordinator at the City of Ann Arbor, led SEMCOG members and staff on a tour of at the Allen Creek Berm project site.
About the Allen Creek Berm project
The Allen Creek Berm project consists of two hydraulic box culverts that direct water to the Huron River. This rerouting of stormwater will help to keep flooding at bay during the extreme 100-year wet weather events that are becoming more and more frequent.
While the berm project was created to relieve Ann Arbor’s Depot Street area of flood troubles, coordinated planning enabled the city to maximize this opportunity by incorporating a project to improve safety for people who walk and bike. The flood relief area allowed for a new pedestrian tunnel to be added under the railroad crossing, which enables people to get to the Border-to-Border trail and Argo Canoe Livery more safely.
Getting to see and learn about this project as was a treat, but our satisfaction was incomparable to the feeling of those who have worked so hard for many years to bring it to life. The Allen Creek Berm total project cost was $9.4 million, with 44% of that coming from the city. Additional sources included FEMA grants for $3.7 million; an MDOT TAP grant of $970,000; a SEMCOG TAP grant for $315,000; and a MDNR Trust Fund grant of $300,000.
It was reported that, on MDOT’s first site visit, many people were seen crossing the railroad to get to amenities on the other side. The safety challenge was obvious, which greatly helped to influence MDOT’s decision to provide funding for the pedestrian tunnel to this project.
While at our Member Meetup, we witnessed first-hand the amount of foot, paw, and bike traffic this tunnel receives! We were fortunate to be scheduled on a beautiful spring day, and the weather helped to highlight the accessibility this project has afforded to Ann Arbor residents and those who come to visit.
Next time you visit Ann Arbor, I encourage you to make a stop off Depot St. next to the Amtrak station and take the tunnel back to see the Berm, cross the bridge, and walk over and visit Argo Canoe Livery and the cascades that connect the waterway. What you are likely to see is just how many people benefit from prioritizing the connectivity and accessibility of our regional assets.
Thanks to the Jerry Hancock, Brian Slizewski, Hillary Hanzel, Scott Spooner, and Cheryl Saam from the City of Ann Arbor for making the visit and tour to Ann Arbor possible, pleasant, and a learning experience for many.
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