FOR RELEASE: Highway 287 flood mitigation open house scheduled for July 9

The City of Loveland is taking a step toward protecting the community from floods with a plan to rebuild the Highway 287 bridge over the Big Thompson River and improvements of the adjacent river channel. Community members are invited to learn more about this project and ask questions during an open house on Tuesday, July 9, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Fairgrounds Park Pavilion, 700 S. Railroad Ave.

“This is one of the city’s highest priority capital improvement projects and it will help protect community infrastructure and private properties that were heavily damaged in the 2013 flood,” said Stormwater Engineering Manager Chris Carlson.

The open house will feature displays, estimated construction timelines, phasing information, and opportunities for attendees to engage with City and contractor staff.

The Highway 287 Flood Mitigation project, which is currently in the design phase, will rebuild and raise the Highway 287 bridge about 4 feet and improve the Big Thompson River channel between Railroad and Saint Louis Avenues near Fairgrounds Park. In the process, the project team will address flood prevention resources for properties in the 100-year floodplain and recreation amenities improved with better access to the river for fishing and tubing.

For more information on this project or to ask questions for the project team, visit letstalkloveland.org/highway-287-flood-mitigation.

About

The Highway 287 Flood Mitigation project is a joint effort between the City of Loveland, the Colorado Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to design flood mitigation measures for the Big Thompson River at Highway 287. This project will focus on the Highway 287 bridge, but the entire project area extends from Railroad Avenue on the west to about Saint Louis Avenue on the east. Along Highway 287, the project area extends about 1,000 feet to the north and south of the river. The project has three main components: bridge replacement and retrofitting, stream restoration and floodplain improvement. A primary goal is to increase community resiliency by removing as many properties as feasible from the 100-year floodplain and reducing flood risk to those structures that remain in the floodplain.

Project Funding

The project design will cost an estimated $2.6 million with about 90% of the costs being covered by a flood mitigation grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The remaining 10% of the funds are coming from the increased stormwater fees residents started paying on their utility bills in September 2022. An estimate of construction costs will be developed when the design work is complete. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2026.

CONTACT: Illianna Milldrum, Communication and Engagement Specialist, 970-962-2608, Illianna.Milldrum@cityofloveland.org