Client:
University of Detroit –                                               Detroit Collaborative Design Center

Location:
Detroit, Michigan

Prime Consultant:
NTH Consultants, Ltd.
​
Client Name/Contact:
Virginia Stanard

Total NTH Budget:  
$131,500

Project Start:
2010

Project Completion:
On-going

Bloody Run Creek Greenway Redevelopment

Project Overview
Historically, the Bloody Run Creek existed immediately north of downtown Detroit and discharged into the Detroit River.  The creek’s name stems from a Native American ambush of British soldiers in 1763.  The creek originally served as transportation and water supply for the French ribbon farms that lead to settling the area in the 18th century.  By the late 19th century, health issues in the city called for sewering the creek; burying it almost entirely in culverts by 1890.  Today, only a small reach of the original creek remains, running through the historic Elmwood Cemetery. 

Working with the Detroit Collaborative Design Center (DCDC) at the University of Detroit Mercy, NTH lead the initial engineering planning and concept development phases to evaluate the feasibility and engineering requirements associated with “daylighting”  the creek to serve as a stimulus for the redevelopment of a large portion of the City’s east side.  The conceptual creek alignment shown below includes a daylighted creek of over 37,100 lineal feet.

Project Scope
Our team developed a conceptual creek alignment that considered its historical reaches as well as the community’s existing developed fabric.  The project concept consists of introducing water into the daylighted and restored creek to create green space and park land encompassing more than 3,000 acres, thereby attracting new development for residential, commercial, health care, and food processing, as well as research and development.  

To maintain flow into the re-established creek, NTH developed a concept to separate the existing combined sewer system to collect and transport stormwater runoff where it would be treated using natural and mechanical systems prior to discharge to the creek.  To provide adequate capacity for various flood conditions, the creek alignment is designed with several ponds for headwater storage to be released during low flow periods.

Services provided during the initial planning phases have included documentation or records collection of existing underground infrastructure in the project area, delineation of the original creek alignment, evaluation of inflows associated with stormwater runoff, as well as storage and discharge requirements for the re-established creek.

​NTH’s Value Added: 
​Throughout this process NTH has worked with the DCDC to engage and inform potential partners and government leaders about the project and move it forward to detailed planning and design phases.