Addison Creek Channel Improvements Project

September 22, 2026

in Big Project Spotlights,

Building Resiliency: Judlau Contracting, Working with its Client, MWRD, Reaches 90% Completion Milestone on Addison Creek Channel Improvements

About the Project

OHLA USA's Judlau Contracting division is delivering critical flood protection for six Cook County communities — Bellwood, Northlake, Stone Park, Melrose Park, Westchester, and Broadview — through the Addison Creek Channel Improvements Project.

For decades, a narrow, shallow creek channel and years of erosion and sediment buildup left area neighborhoods vulnerable to recurring flooding during heavy rain and high upstream flow. The project, which is divided into nine “reaches,” is widening the creek to increase flow capacity and stabilizing the banks to prevent erosion, engineering each reach to its unique conditions based on nearby buildings, infrastructure, and available space.

Working closely with MWRD, the project team has executed 3.2 miles of creek bank stabilization across 9 targeted locations and completed the construction of 12 reinforced-concrete soldier-pile walls. Over 2,000 households and businesses will benefit from these improvements along and near the creek.

Since the creek bank meanders through residential, commercial, and industrial areas and the waterway varies in depth, the project team has used an array of stabilization materials tailored to site conditions. These include soldier pile retaining walls, deep foundation piles designed to withstand heavy lateral loads and vibration near structures; gabion baskets and mattresses, rock-filled wire structures that blend naturally into the landscape while stabilizing banks and reducing erosion; and steel sheet pile cofferdams in areas requiring deep foundations

Project Impact

As the creek's capacity grows, many properties will move out of the floodplain — improving public safety, potentially lowering flood insurance costs, and supporting property values, all while enhancing the creek's condition and appearance for the community.

This project reflects strong collaboration among Judlau Contracting, MWRD, local communities, and project stakeholders in building lasting resilience against extreme