BACKGROUND

Starkweather Creek runs through a very urbanized section of the City of Madison. The stream often acts as a backwater to Lake Monona due to low velocities and gradient. The section of stream in question starts at it intersection with Interstate Highway 90 and ends at Lake Monona. There are two branches of the creek, totaling 6.1 miles. Shallow areas along the creek make it difficult for recreationalists to enjoy.

Bike paths, parks, and hiking trails both exist currently or are planned for this waterway. The master plan includes these improvements, making them a priority in the planning process. In early 2004, the City of Madison held a public meeting that helped us to assess the community's interest in addressing problems with Starkweather Creek. The group was in favor of establishing a master plan for the area which would focus on the needs of the neighborhood and the city as a whole.

The Friends of Starkweather Creek and the East Isthmus Planning council held a workshop during which the participants were asked for their input on specific areas: environmental quality, recreation, and community building/education.

City Engineering and Parks Division staff took the comments from the workshops and four existing studies for the creek to write a new master plan. The plan was presented to the public in June 2004. During this presentation further feedback was received from the public which was used to narrow down the ideas and incorporated into the 2004 Master Plan update.

UPDATE

Construction of the first phase of restoration of the creek began in Fall 2007 and is scheduled to be complete in early summer 2008. This section of the creek is from Milwaukee Street north to Darbo Drive. Work in the creek includes removal of the vertical steel sheet piling that formed the banks of the creek. The new creek bank will consist of glacial boulder revetment in most areas, with cut limestone steps at the northern and southern ends of the project. The streambank area will be seeded with no-mow native plants. Planting of new trees and shrubs will occur in a later contract once streambank work is complete. A home southeast of the intersection of Marquette Street and Darbo Drive that was very close to the creek was purchased by the city, and relocated to create adequate space for the new streambank treatment as well as a new rain garden.

The project also includes reconstruction of Clyde Gallager Avenue on the west side of the creek, construction of a pedestrian bridge over the creek just south of Darbo Drive, and construction of a bike path along the west side of the creek.

The streambanks of the creek just north of this project (north of Darbo Drive) were repaired as part of the East Washington Avenue reconstruction project. This work also included a pedestran bridge over East Washington Avenue.

CONTACTS

If you have questions on this project, please contact Lisa Coleman, City Engineering, at 266-4093.