In Old Town Fort Collins, just a few blocks from the heart of downtown, crews are moving a massive amount of earth. The multimillion dollar project is the third most expensive in the city’s history. They’re installing a new system to control floodwater. If it goes according to plan, most people won’t even notice it working.
The Oak Street Stormwater project is designed to reroute heavy rains around the homes and businesses of Old Town through a giant underground pipe.
“Flooding can be devastating to communities, and it’s been devastating in Fort Collins before,” said Heather McDowell, the project’s manager. “It’s really easy to forget that when we have a couple of dry years and when we’re fighting fires up in the mountains. But flooding happens too”…