Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 20, 1991 TAG: 9103200366
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
President Bush included $470,000 in the federal budget that begins Oct. 1, but the Army Corps of Engineers can use an additional $300,000 in the next year, Olin said.
Olin, D-Roanoke, asked a House appropriations subcommittee this week to provide more money for the $34 million project.
"It's been six years since the last major flood in Roanoke, and I'm eager to see this project built as soon as possible," he said.
The corps expects to award the major construction contract in the summer of 1992 and will seek $8 million in federal money in the fiscal 1993 budget. Congress appropriated $2.3 million in the current fiscal year.
The city's share of the cost is $14 million, and the federal share is $20 million.
Voters approved a $7.5 million bond issue two years ago to help pay the city's share. The remaining $6.5 million in city money will come from several sources, including earlier appropriations and land donations.
The flood-reduction plan will involve widening the channel and building flood walls at several places along a 10-mile section of the stream. It also includes a 4.6-mile bicycling and jogging trail.
Although work on the channel widening and flood walls will not begin until next year, the first element in the plan was completed recently when rainfall and stream gauges were installed for an early flood-warning system.
Olin also urged the subcommittee to approve $1.7 million for the Buena Vista flood-reduction project in the next fiscal year, the same amount Bush included in the fiscal 1992 budget.
Bush requested money to complete the design and engineering work for the Buena Vista project, which was authorized in the 1990 Water Resources Development Act.
Olin said the legislation also included language that may reduce Buena Vista's share of the cost of the $55 million project. It requires the corps to develop funding regulations that are based on local, not statewide, economic data, he said.
"Because Buena Vista is one of Virginia's most economically distressed communities, we believe these new regulations - based on Buena Vista's economic data - will result in a reduced share for the city," he said.
Olin said Gov. Douglas Wilder recently released $525,000 in state funds to help Buena Vista pay its share of the cost for the project. Olin said he will ask the General Assembly for additional funds next year.
by CNB