July 24, 2003
BY
PAT
KROCHMAL
– Des Plaines
Times
A
cast of local city, county and state officials vigorously applauded
the groundbreaking of the long-awaited Levee 50, the first in a $50
million series of flood relief projects from Des Plaines to the
Wisconsin border that will work to help keep Des Plaines and much of
the surrounding area drier.
"After six
years of countless meetings, planning designs and redesigns, a final agreement
was made, the Farmer/Prairie Creek Project is near completion and Levee 50 is
now a reality," said Des Plaines Mayor Anthony Arredia.
"On behalf of
the residents of Des Plaines, I want to thank everyone whose hard work and
maximum effort have been responsible for what will be the biggest contribution
to reducing our city's flood problems," he added.
The levee,
which is expected to be completed by the summer of 2004, will consist of a
gated closure structure, a pump station and related flood prevention work on
Prairie Farmer's Creek - immediately upstream from the Union Pacific Railroad -
a clay blanket along the river's side of the embankment, and a floodwall
between the railroad and Dempster Avenue.
Also called the
Rand Park Flood Control and Multi-Use Project, it is the first of six projects
planned for the Des Plaines River. That is probably because floodwaters from
the river cause about $1,315,500 worth of damage annually to structures in Des
Plaines, Park Ridge and unincorporated Maine Township, according to the Army
Corps of Engineers.
The damages
include $884,300 average annual structure damage, $298,500 average annual
traffic damage, and $132,700 average annual indirect flood damage.
As a state
sponsor for the federal project, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources'
Office of Water Resources will design and construct the levee as part of its
financial obligation to the project. Des Plaines and Park Ridge are tabbed to
serve as local sponsors for the project and will own, maintain and operate the
flood control and trail system.
The project
will be financed 65 percent by the federal government, with the rest paid by
state and local governments.
The flood control project, which was planned to control flooding caused by a
"100-year" storm, also aims to provide recreational opportunities on the river.
In addition to
flood control, Levee 50 consists of three phases. One of the phases, the
development and extension of the bike path, already has been completed with the
extension of an existing 48-inch culvert under the Union Pacific Railroad. A
clay blanket was constructed on the river's side of the embankment, then an
outer headwall and a 48-inch tide flex gate was added at the end of the culvert
extension, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.
After the
current Phase Two construction of Levee 50, which is now under way, Phase Three
will include work on the floodwalls, the development of a multi-use trail, a
Dempster Street underpass, closure structures at Rand and Ballard roads,
interior storage basins, a Golf Road interceptor sewer gate at Big Bend Lake,
and other required environmental mitigation.
A 12-foot wide
multi-use trail also has been proposed for the Des Plaines River side of the
floodwall that will run from Campground Road just south of Dempster Street to
Rand Road. A 12-foot wide by 10-foot high tunnel will be constructed beneath
Demspter so neither pedestrians nor cyclists will have to cross the busy
street.
Almost all the
officials attending the groundbreaking ceremony have helped with work on the
project, including State Sen. Dave Sullivan, R-33rd; State Rep. Rosemary
Mulligan, R-65th; State Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-57th; Ann Linjoco, representing
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky; State Sen. Susan Garrett, D-29th; Mount
Prospect Mayor Gerald Farley, Republican Committeeman Mark Thompson; U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers representative Roy Deda; Superintendent of the Cook County
Highway Department Wally Kos; and Illinois Department of Natural Resources
chief of engineering studies Arlan Juhl.
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