Loveland completes $30 million Garfield-Harrison drainage project
Loveland has completed a four-year, $30 million drainage upgrade serving a 400-acre area of west downtown, with new storm pipes, waterlines, inlets and roadway improvements designed to reduce flooding and protect property.
The City of Loveland has completed a four-year, approximately $30 million storm drainage improvement project in the Garfield-Harrison Outfall Basin, the city said. Construction began in January 2022 and was completed in four phases.
The 400-acre basin stretches from First Street to Eisenhower Boulevard and from Garfield Avenue to Taft Avenue. It serves as one of the primary drainage areas for west downtown Loveland and had drainage problems linked to aging and undersized infrastructure.
Crews installed more than 29,288 feet of new stormwater pipe, including approximately 5,851 feet of 54-inch concrete pipe, along with more than 13,062 feet of new waterline, 168 manholes and 202 stormwater inlets. The work also included new sanitary sewer infrastructure, roadway reconstruction, curbs and gutters, ADA-accessible sidewalks and ramps, and stormwater-quality improvements.
The project was funded through the city’s stormwater and water enterprise funds, which are supported by utility user fees. Stormwater Manager Chris Carlson said the project addressed dozens of drainage problems, helped protect residential property and roadways from flooding, and improved water quality in the Big Thompson River.