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Boneyard Creek Plans and Studies

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The Boneyard Creek is a smaller waterway (5,311 acre watershed) that runs through the cities of Champaign and Urbana, and the University of Illinois campus. The creek eventually feeds into the Saline Branch drainage ditch north of Downtown Urbana. Within the urbanized area, the Boneyard Creek has historically been covered or confined to a narrower sheet piled section to accommodate development.

The 1978 Boneyard Creek Master Plan represents an intergovernmental effort in addressing management of the Boneyard Creek waterway in both Urbana and Champaign. The plan identifies strategies to effect improvements to coincide with development along the corridor. With adoption of the 2005 Comprehensive Plan, the 1978 Boneyard Creek Plan became a “stand alone” strategic plan.

In 2008, the City of Urbana adopted the 2008 Boneyard Creek Master Plan which focuses on the portion of the Boneyard Creek that runs through Downtown Urbana, specifically between Main Street and University Avenue (see aerial map). The Boneyard Creek cross-section is open along this corridor, however, it is not designed to take advantage of the creek as an amenity or to relate to adjacent uses and pedestrian connections. The City of Urbana sees real potential to turn the Boneyard Creek into an amenity to the Downtown environment..

Portions of the 1978 Master Plan remain in effect for the western area of the Boneyard Creek that extends beyond Main Street and University Avenue within the City of Urbana limits. 

- Last Modified -December 18, 2019 - 3:12pm
- Author - admin