The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1922-11-17
MAY BEGIN FLOOD
PREVENTION WORK
IN EARLY SPRING
Elliott Says Improvement North
of Washington st. Would
Cost 100000.
ADMITS WATER THREATENS
Program Would Make 1t Neces-
sary to Lengthen Number of
Bridges Across River.

New bridges and food walls to com
plete flood prevention facilities North
Of Washington St, will cost $4,000, 900,
an estimate just completed shows.
City Civil Engineer John L. Elliott
announced today. Plans for various
Shases Of the work are being pre-
pared and work may be started early
next spring, Elliott said.
In the meantime efforts to re-
move Instructions in White River.
south Of Washington St. formed
chiefly by approaches TO short rail
road and street bridges, will be pushed,
according to the engineer. The IN
dianapoUs chapter of the American
Association of Engineers Thursday
made public a survey showing the
downtown section is threatened with
lnundation during the next great food,
sure 10 come within twenty-five to
thirty years, unless passages for
great volume Of water IS cleared.
Parts Of the floor prevention plan
north Of Washington St. and est
mated cost are as follows:
Proposed improvements
New Michigan St. bridge over
Ave. bridge over Fail Creek. $500, 600:
retaining wall along east bank of
White River from Washington st. 10
New York St. $3.50. 900; boulevard levy
along east bank Of White Rivsc, New
York TO Michigan SITS, $121,O00; boule-
ward levy along east banks Of White
River and Fall Creek, Michigan s., &c
Indiana Ave, S246. 600; boulevard levy
along east bank Of White River and
west bank of Fall Creek from Emer-
louisville bridge to Indiana Ave, S292-
600; levy on both banks Of Fall Greek.
Indiana Ave. to L.augsdale gas plant.
Total estimated cost. 100000.
The Tenth St, bridge over White
River will have to be rebuilt in sew
eraI years, but present plans do not
call for It. because the only ap-
prOaches TO it from the east would
b over boulevards and hence heavy
traffic would be prohibited, Elliott
said.
Six bridges which are so short that
their earthen approaches dangerously
narrow the channel OF White River
are the Big Four, Pennsylvania, Van
and the Oliver Ave. and Kentucky
Ave. bridges. according to Elliott.
ALLEGATION System
It is Elliott's understanding that
frightening Of the private bridges
could be undertaken under a food
prevention resolution, under which
the city would pay As per cent. the
county As per cent and the owners
10 per cent Of the cost Of extension.
The public would pay no part Of the
cost Of new bridges beyond the pres
ent length.
For two years the city engineering
department has been warning the
board Of public works and the county
commissioners that the Kentucky
Ave, bridge over White River is IN
safe. The city board has been ready
to order a new, longer. crossing at
all times. but the county commits
sioners have deferred because County
Auditor Leo K. Fesler opposed a bond
issue on the ground the bridge could
he repaired. Repairs would not
.engthen the structure, Elliott said.
To lengthen the Oliver Ave. bridge
it would be best to change the To-
cation Of the new structure so the
avenue would go straight across the
river on a line with the highway u
the west, instead Of curving TO cross
in line with the highway to the east,
Elliot said. This bridge is not IN
safe, but it IS not in first-class con
ditiOn. the engineer said.
- = i
ministration it is hoped to complete
floor prevention as far south as Nor
ris St. Elliott said