Project Overview#
The Oak Street project is part of the Downtown Stormwater Improvement Program (DSIP) and will help to resolve flooding issues in downtown Fort Collins. The project extends from Mason St. to City Park and began at Mason Street in July 2024.
Additionally and in preparation for the stormwater project, the City will be replacing the water main from Grant Avenue to Jackson Avenue, and Xcel Energy will be replacing the gas main from Meldrum Street to Jackson Avenue.
The map below shows the general locations and projected timeline for the projects.
Stormwater Project: March 17 Update#
Ongoing#
- Howes/Canyon: rain garden work ongoing through May. There will be a smaller closure for ongoing construction in this area.
- 400/500 Block Oak Street: storm pipe installation and new curb/gutter installations. Sherwood/Oak intersection is now closed.
Upcoming#
- Howes Street, Canyon Avenue, 300 block and the Oak/Meldrum intersection: fully open the morning of Monday, March 17th.
- 600 Block Oak Street: new curb/gutter installations
- Xcel Energy - gas main installation from Loomis to Washington (this will be partial roadway closures only)
Important Notices#
- Howes and 300 block of Oak Street is open to the public! Concrete and rain garden work at the Howes/Canyon intersection will continue into the spring.
- 500 block will reclose as early as March 19th for construction operations.
- Republic Services, the trash hauler company has been notified of the new closure at Sherwood and Oak Street. Residents will need to continue to make sure their trash and recycling bins are accessible by the trash hauler along Sherwood, or the alley, whichever location they are currently picked up from. We will provide a separate notice to residents if this changes.
Art in Public Places Highlight#
Artwork Sculpture: Mark Aeling, Rendering Credit: BHA Design
As part of the City’s Oak Street Stormwater Improvement Project, Art in Public Places Program worked with the Project Team and St. Petersburg, Florida, Artist Mark Aeling to design art to be integrated into this site. The project spans the Oak Street corridor from Howes St. to Jackson Ave. at City Park. The series of sculptures is intended to create a visual narrative about the project and its impact on stormwater.
The project developed designs for 3 sculptures to be placed along Oak St. at the intersections with Howes St., Washington Ave. and Jackson Ave. Each of the sculptures will be placed in a rain garden. Rain gardens help manage stormwater runoff, prevent erosion, and provide habitat for local wildlife.
Rain Drop, at the SW corner of Oak St. and Howes St., depicts a larger-than-life steel drop of water splashing into a puddle of mud. This is the beginning of the natural process of precipitation that the Stormwater project is designed to direct and divert through the science of engineering.
Vortex, the sculpture proposed for the NW corner of Washington Ave. and Oak St., depicts a steel water vortex that is channeled through a steel cylinder. In effect, by channeling the potentially destructive energy of this natural resource it can be neutralized.
Seed Pods, a smaller and more intimate sculpture located at the entrance to City Park at the SW of Jackson Ave. and Oak St., depicts multiple steel stylized milkweed husks open to reveal the seeds. This sculpture references how water nourishes life in nature.
Current Road Closures#
Schedule#
Full Project Segment (Updated: Feb 18, 2025)#
Click map for larger view
Water Project#
Work has been completed for the remainder of 2024. The project will pick back up again in Spring 2025.
Estimated Construction Timeline#
FAQ#
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There will be full roadway closures on Oak Street and other adjoining blocks where pipeline construction is occurring. Residents with alley access to their lots will be encouraged to utilize the alleyways as much as possible when the roadway is closed on their block. Residents that don’t have alley access will need to park on adjacent blocks. Sidewalk access to property frontage will generally remain open or detours for pedestrians will also be posted.
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Sidewalk access to business property frontage will generally remain open. There will be some intersection and crosswalks closed during streetscape construction. During those times, detours for pedestrians will be posted.
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You can expect large construction operations, including heavy equipment, dirt hauling and associated noise and dust during the construction period.
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Stormwater system improvements include flood control measures as well as stormwater quality improvements such as rain gardens at Howes, Washington and Jackson. Rain gardens are systems that filter pollutants out of stormwater before it makes its way downstream to the Poudre River. As such, significant streetscape improvements to these same intersections will be made.
Other improvements being made as part of the Oak Street project include a new water main from Grant to Jackson Street, and a new gas main (Xcel Energy project) from Meldrum to Jackson Street.
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On-street parking will not be available on the blocks where active construction is occurring. Generally, the construction zone will be limited to 2 or 3 blocks at a time and automobile detours will be posted to reroute drivers.
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While we do anticipate ongoing construction adjacent to City Park during the summer months, we don’t anticipate a large impact on any events at City Park during those times. There will be reduced on-street parking near the Oak/Jackson intersection and along Jackson north of Oak Street, but existing parking will generally be available otherwise.
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Yes, water services may be shut off for short periods of time (4 hours or less) during active construction of the water or storm mains. We will let you know at least 24 hours in advance of any shut-off.
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Yes, its possible that either gas or electricity may be shut off for short periods of time during active construction.
Important Notices#
Did You Know?
Lowering the water-heater temperature to the lowest comfortable setting saves money.
Permanent "duct mastic" material – not duct tape – should be used for sealing attic ductwork and crawl spaces.
Benchmarking your energy use compared to other similar businesses can help you identify and prioritize future building improvements