Corps of Engineers’ Yogi Berra, “This Project Isn’t Going to End Until It’s Completed.”

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