Slaughterhouse Branch and Northern Tributary

Client: Maryland State Highway Administration

Location: Baltimore County, Maryland

Services: Stream restoration design, permitting, agency coordination, construction inspection/supervision, and environmental compliance monitoring

As part of wetland permit requirements associated with the widening of I-695 between MD 140 and MD 139, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) commissioned KCI to prepare stream restoration and stabilization plans for 2,500 linear feet of Slaughterhouse Branch and Northern Tributary in Baltimore County. Because the restoration was linked to highway construction, KCI needed to meet SHA’s tight project deadlines to maintain contractors’ schedules and complete the environmental work before new noise abatement walls would prohibit access to the restoration area. KCI developed two redline design revisions and gained permit approval in less than four months so that stream construction could begin by May 1997.

The design needed to incorporate the stringent environmental constraints of the SHA and regulatory agencies regarding wetlands and a mature forest without significantly disturbing the appearance of the landscape. Using innovative bioengineering techniques—biologs, native plantings, and the installation of rock vortex weirs—KCI designed a channel geometry and slope that alleviated bank stress and provided a competent channel for the effective or dominant discharge. To provide special protection to sensitive areas adjacent to the site, KCI’s scheme limited construction equipment access and substituted manual labor for machines in selected reaches.

During the Summer/Fall of 1997, SHA requested that KCI provide construction inspection/supervision services for the project.

Overall, the total construction cost was less than $200,000, saving the SHA approximately $600,000 over the original construction estimate. In December 1997, the project was selected by SHA for a “Maryland with Pride” Award.

© KCI Holdings 1994-2006