The Bear Creek Road Culvert Replacement Project is set to enhance flood protection for the roadway and public parking area by upgrading an existing culvert beneath the Alma Parking Area within Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.
The project will significantly improve the capacity to manage high-volume stormwater and debris. This will help prevent future sinkholes and road failures, ultimately reducing the impact of flooding on the 3,500 households and 8,000 people who rely on Bear Creek Road.
The culvert replacement project will require the closure of the Alma Parking Area. Therefore, Midpen has opted to postpone the construction work until after the North Parking Area has opened in order to continually provide access to the preserve.
Goals and Objectives
The replacement of the culvert will benefit the natural environment by increasing the land's capacity to deal with large storm events and decrease the likelihood of future road closures. The project will include:
Enhanced roadway and infrastructure protection: Increase flood protection for Bear Creek Road and the Alma Parking Area by replacing the existing 60-inch culvert with a larger 72-inch culvert, mitigating risks of future sinkholes and road failures.
Improve stormwater management capacity: Align Midpen's culvert with the County's recently upsized 72-inch culvert to significantly improve the capacity to convey high-volume stormwater and debris, preparing for future large rain events.
Reduce community impacts: Minimize the impact of flooding and road closures on the approximately 3,500 households and 8,000 people who rely on Bear Creek Road.
Background
In 2023, the County upsized its culvert following emergency repairs due to the massive storms of winter 2022/2023 which caused flooding and a segment of Bear Creek Road to collapse.
A culvert is essentially a tunnel or large pipe that allows water to flow underneath something like a road or trail. Its main job is to prevent flooding by letting water pass through, keeping the surface above stable.
