Highland Bridge Green Infrastructure

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Elevating Sustainability: Highland Bridge Embraces Green Infrastructure for Sustainable Development

The City of Saint Paul and CRWD planned for a comprehensive stormwater management approach and a re-creation of the historic Hidden Falls Creek, eliminating the need for individual treatment systems scattered across the site. This method – called shared, stacked green infrastructure – will reduce the overall cost of managing stormwater on the site while adding beauty, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities.

A map of the Highland area indicates the direction of stormwater runoff from adjacent streets. Arrows show that the stormwater will go through rain gardens and underground stormwater treatments before going into the main river, through Hidden Falls, and then drain into the Mississippi River.

Regional Stormwater Treatment

The new Highland Bridge community will benefit from a shared regional stormwater approach. Several large clean water practices both at the surface and underground will capture and filter stormwater runoff from the 122-acre site to reuse in the central water feature and Hidden Falls Creek. The stormwater systems include underground storage and filtration chambers and several large rain gardens. Combined, the stormwater systems will capture and clean 64 million gallons annually, preventing an estimated 28 tons of total suspended solids and 147 pounds of phosphorus from entering the Mississippi River each year.

Central Water Feature and Hidden Falls Creek

The central water feature will receive filtered stormwater before flowing south to the reimagined Hidden Falls Creek. Both will offer recreational opportunities for visitors, provide wildlife habitat, and add beauty to the site.

Mississippi River Boulevard Tunnel

The reimagined Hidden Falls Creek will flow to Hidden Falls Regional Park through a 90-foot tunnel underneath Mississippi River Boulevard. Adjacent to the creek, a paved pedestrian and bike path will follow the creek through the tunnel and end at a plaza overlooking Hidden Falls.

Natural Landscaping

More than a thousand trees will be planted throughout Highland Bridge, including but not limited to the 50-plus acres of public and open space. Widened boulevard plantings will feature non-invasive species, mostly native. The parks and civic spaces will also include natural, native landscaping selections that will offer changes from season to season. In addition, predicted landscaping will use 50 percent less water than a traditionally irrigated site. Landscaped walking trails will connect to the adjacent trail system and neighborhoods.