Judy Schmidt at Dallas City Hall forwards along the following message from Mayor Tom Leppert: Till he hears otherwise, Santiago Calatrava's Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge is gettin' built, so there. You will find after the jump the entirety of the city's media release announcing that the feds have extended the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 Permit for another four years, which will allow the city to build the bridge within the levees -- despite, ya know, a little grit and shit. It's word for word what I sent to Schutze so he can reply upon his return from East Texas, where he and Dallas administrative judge C. Victor Lander have spent the last several days beneath the wide open spaces in a sleeping bag built for one.
Jump for the whole shebang, including the quote from U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers Major General Merdith W. B. (Bo) Temple that's in the headline. And this one from the mayor:
Clearly, this project is moving forward and the action taken today shows that the Corps is committed to working with the City of Dallas side by side on the construction projects and during the mitigation process. Work will continue simultaneously as the City, Corps and various agency partners address areas of the levee system which may need to be fixed.
Construction of Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge Will Continue to Move Forward
Steel from Italy in Houston and Headed to Dallas
(DALLAS, TX) - The City of Dallas and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced today that construction of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge will continue to move forward. In a meeting in Washington, D. C. on March 19 organized by U.S. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30), and attended by the Congresswoman, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Major General Merdith W. B. (Bo) Temple, City of Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, and City of Dallas City Manager Mary K. Suhm, the Corps stated that the 404 permit for the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge has been extended for four more years, paving the way for its construction to continue inside the levees. The 404 permit is a requirement of the Corps for construction within the floodway.
"Clearly, this project is moving forward and the action taken today shows that the Corps is committed to working with the City of Dallas side by side on the construction projects and during the mitigation process," said Mayor Leppert. "Work will continue simultaneously as the City, Corps and various agency partners address areas of the levee system which may need to be fixed."
"This project isn't going to end until it's completed," said Major General Temple. "We are monitoring the project closely and will be working with the City teams and our local office to provide the best solutions for flood protection, safety and progress for the levee system and the city," Major General Temple added, "As with any large public works project, there will be unanticipated issues that need to be addressed and all of the project's partners are committed to working through them item by item."
Major General Temple is Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations (DCG-CEO) for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. As the Nation's primary planner, designer, builder, and operator of flood control, navigation, environmental restoration, and multiple-purpose water resource projects, he manages the Army's $9 billion annual Civil Works Program. Additionally, he is responsible for the federal emergency flood fighting effort, recovery operations, and emergency engineering and public works support in the event of natural or manmade disasters.Recently, Kevin Craig of the Fort Worth District of the Corps was assigned as Acting Director for the Trinity River Corridor Project. Assignment of a dedicated director of the project was requested by U. S. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and U. S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson.
"In accordance with recent concurrence and support from USACE Headquarters, we will be working with TxDOT and the city to promptly resolve mitigation issues with the bridge so that construction can move forward with minimal delay," said Kevin Craig.
"The cornerstone of this project has always been flood control and our top priority is continued safety for the citizens of Dallas and the flood risk reduction the Dallas Floodway Levee system provides." said U.S. Congresswoman Johnson. "We have worked so very hard for many years to improve flood control while at the same time working to provide transportation solutions and recreational opportunities which will bring our community together and further help define Dallas for many years to come."
Meanwhile, portions of the bridge's steel arch and supporting girders have arrived in the Port of Houston from Italy. The signature steel structures, which will bring Spanish engineer and architect Santiago Calatrava's design to life, will be trucked to Dallas over the next several weeks. When the steel arrives, work on the bridge's arch and main expanse between Singleton Boulevard and Woodall Rodgers Freeway will begin.
"The arrival of the steel is an important next step for this significant city project. We are delighted that this project continues to move forward," said Mayor Leppert. "Soon everyone will be able to see the impressive display of this arch rising over the Trinity River."
Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge Features:
- Bridge design by world renowned AIA Award winning engineer and Architect Santiago Calatrava
- 6 lane bridge connecting Singleton Boulevard to Woodall Rodgers Freeway
- 400 ft. Central Arch Pylon
- 1,200 ft. long Signature bridge span
- Over 5 miles of cable
- Expected construction completion in Spring 2011
