The Eagle

'Daylighting’ of Rouge River under way in Northville 

For the first time in more than 70 years the section of the Rouge River under the City of Northville has been unearthed and exposed to daylight. Members of the city council and city officials gathered last week to watch history in the making as the river, hidden beneath a culvert since 1962, was uncovered, a major milestone in the Downs Redevelopment project. The Northville development is one of the largest projects in the state and includes plans for homes, townhomes, offices, retail space and a river walk and park. Officials said the final design of the project will restore a visible, natural waterway in the heart of the community. Daylighting is the process of removing a structure, such as a culvert or concrete channel, to expose and restore a natural river or stream to a free-flowing state. The Downs development will include 31 percent green space, with the river running through multiple parks. The effort is a significant environmental undertaking that involves uncovering a quarter mile of the river previously buried in a concrete culvert since the 1960s. The project, a collaboration between the city and developer Hunter Pasteur. The river has been underground for most of last century because additional land was needed for the Wayne County Fair which took place on the site. The county fair was larger than even the State Fair at that time. Additionally, more than 1200 trees have been brought in to beautify this area which was once used for horse racing. Pasteur aims to restore ecological health, create a public park and riverwalk, and reconnect the community to the historic waterway, officials said. Construction began with demolition in spring 2024, and work is ongoing. The new river will feature a 30-foot-wide channel with stone riffles, which are areas of shallow water with a wave or ripple. The banks will be stabilized with toe-wood and root balls, planted with live stakes to form a riparian buffer. The project is being financed in part by state tax incentives, leveraging private investment in the redevelopment of the site. Daylighting helps restore the river ecosystem, potentially leading to the return of fish and aquatic life, according to environmentalists involved in the project. For more information and ongoing updates, visit the official City of Northville website and the Northville Downs website at northvilledowns.info