RAPID CITY, S.D. – A large-scale cleanup effort is underway along Rapid Creek as city, county, and state agencies work together to remove overgrowth, debris, and litter from one of Rapid City’s most heavily used outdoor corridors.
The project stretches from the West Boulevard area to the Central States Fairgrounds and includes crews from the Rapid City Public Works, Parks, Police, Fire, and Stormwater departments, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Wildland Fire, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, and Ignite crews.
Officials say the effort is focused on improving public safety, reducing wildfire risk, enhancing visibility along the bike path, and improving the appearance of the creek corridor. Crews are removing invasive species, dead trees, and excessive brush while preserving healthy vegetation that helps protect water quality and provide shade along the creek.
Rapid City Police Chief Don Hedrick said the cleanup will improve security and visibility for residents who use the pathway and surrounding recreational areas. Stormwater officials emphasized that protecting the health of Rapid Creek remains a top priority throughout the project.
Organizers say the collaborative effort allows agencies to accomplish far more work in a shorter period of time than any one department could achieve alone.
The cleanup is expected to be completed by Friday.
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