Council gives consensus to advance Cross Creek preliminary design after watershed review
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Summary
Council agreed to advance a preliminary (15%) design for Cross Creek channel improvements, a long-term $50 million-plus programmatic effort the city says could reduce downtown flood footprints and inform funding strategies.
The Fayetteville City Council on Aug. 4 gave consensus to proceed with preliminary (15%) design work for Cross Creek channel improvements, part of the watershed master plan aimed at reducing downtown flooding and allowing future financing and phased construction.
Why it matters: Staff said Cross Creek channel modifications are the watershed program's highest-impact project, with initial estimates around $50 million for a large-scale, multi-decade program of work. A preliminary design will provide the level of detail needed to identify constraints, potential property impacts and grant opportunities.
Alicia Lanier, the city's managing watershed program, outlined the project as a multi-phased effort that would redefine channel geometry through the downtown corridor to improve conveyance during major storms. Consultant Matthew Jones of Hazen & Sawyer presented modeling that suggests the improvements could make a 10-year storm behave more like a 2-year storm in the corridor and reduce the footprint and depth of a 100-year event toward something roughly like a 10-year event.
The proposed scope includes additional survey and environmental review, alternatives analysis (three options), and a stakeholder outreach plan culminating in 15% preliminary design documents to guide sequencing, funding and property discussions. Staff said the design phase would take about 11 months; full implementation could take roughly a decade and be phased.
Council direction and vote: Councilman Benavente moved and Councilman Thompson seconded a motion for consensus to advance the preliminary design scope to 15% design. After questions about timelines, phasing and opportunities to include amenity options (such as greenway and park features), council voted in favor; the motion carried.
Details and next steps: Staff told council the city has identified more than $1.1 billion in watershed mitigation needs across all watersheds and has spent about $21 million on studies, survey and modeling to date. Lanier said the Cross Creek preliminary design would provide better cost confidence, reveal environmental or property constraints, and support grant and bond applications. Staff said phased, reach-by-reach construction would be considered and public outreach would continue.
Ending: Consultants will return with the 11-month scope, schedule and public-engagement plan and will work with city departments to keep the design aligned with downtown planning efforts.
