This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: As many cities developed, streams that once flowed on the surface were buried underground to make way for growing infrastructure. However, as heavier rainfall, extreme weather and aging infrastructure place growing pressure on cities, these buried streams could become part of the solution.
Restoring streams to the surface—a practice known as stream daylighting—can help manage stormwater, restore habitats and create greener, more walkable public spaces. But recognizing these benefits is easier than delivering a successful project. Municipalities must find feasible sites, coordinate across departments, secure funding and plan for long-term maintenance.
But they must also ensure that environmental improvements benefit existing residents rather than contribute to displacement. My research on stream daylighting compares two contrasting approaches in Seoul, South Korea, and Zürich, Switzerland. The findings suggest that municipalities don't need to choose between a single large project and many small interventions.
They need flexible programs that can identify the right approach for each site and apply lessons from one project to the next. Between 2003 and 2005, Seoul restored the Cheonggyecheon stream through a rapid, centralized and costly project along one major downtown corridor. The city removed an elevated highway and integrated the restored stream with public transit, cycling infrastructure, pedestrian bridges, walkways and public spaces.
The example shows what stream daylighting can accomplish when political leadership, infrastructure renewal and major public investment align. It also exposes the risks associated with large flagship projects. The project required substantial capital investment and continues to incur maintenance costs.
Critics have questioned its ecological integrity because pumps supply water to the channel. Redevelopment around the corridor also increased land values and displaced some smaller businesses. Zürich's Bachkonzept, or stream concept, took a different approach.
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