The following is a press release written by Desiree DeMolina for the City of Bloomington.
The City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) will host the first public meeting for the Clear Creek Corridor Renewal Project on Thursday, October 29, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Switchyard Park Pavilion, 1601 S. Rogers St.
The meeting will provide community members with an opportunity to learn more about the Clear Creek Corridor Renewal Project (CCCRP), meet members of the project team, and offer input as CBU begins the feasibility and design process for the project.
CBU hired Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LLC on August 14, 2026, to conduct the project’s feasibility study and preliminary design. The project is intended to address aging stormwater infrastructure while improving drainage, reducing urban flood risks, and enhancing water quality along the Clear Creek channel south of W 1st Street.
The CCCRP will explore the transformation of a century-old limestone channel into a more natural-looking stream corridor to improve how stormwater moves through the area and help filter runoff to improve water quality. The project encompasses downtown Bloomington and surrounding portions of the Clear Creek channel and builds on previous efforts such as the Hidden River Pathway and Clear Creek Culvert Reconstruction projects that both worked to address aging infrastructure and long-standing flooding concerns throughout the Clear Creek watershed.
In addition to improving water quality and stormwater resilience, the project will explore opportunities to support economic development by creating an inviting, connected corridor that can enhance surrounding properties, encourage investment, and strengthen connections between downtown and nearby neighborhoods.
“Public input on a project like this is essential. While the core mission of the CCCRP is to address our aging stormwater infrastructure and reduce localized flooding, we recognize that this holds a lot of opportunity for change in the surrounding corridor and for the people living and working nearby,” said Utilities Director Katherine Zaiger. “We want to make sure that these decisions are made with community members."
CBU invites residents, businesses, and property owners to join the conversation on October 29 and help guide the project as feasibility and design work begins. Those unable to attend can reach out to Beth Clarizia, Senior Project Manager with Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LLC, at bclarizia@cbbel-in.com to learn more about the project and share questions or feedback.
