WATER PROJECT ON TARGET; PRESIDENT INCLUDES FUNDING IN BUDGET

The Cape LaCroix Creek-Walker Branch flood control project in Cape Girardeau would receive $8.7 million under a federal water projects budget proposed this week by President Bush.

The administration's request goes to Congress, which must pass legislation to provide the financing.

Construction on the Cape Girardeau flood control project started last year, and officials said Thursday the project is "right on schedule."

Ken Eftink, Cape Girardeau's planning services coordinator, said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requested the $7.8 million earmarked for flood control work here in fiscal year 1993.

The Cape LaCroix Creek-Walker Branch project is a joint effort by the Corps and the city of Cape Girardeau. The first phase of the project involves construction of concrete and rip rap creek channel along Cape LaCroix Creek from just south of Bloomfield Road to the north end of Arena Park.

"The project's pretty much on track right now," Eftink said. "The contractor has pretty well completed the rip rap on the first section on the east bank."

Eftink said the contractor, Dumey Excavating-Brenda Kay Construction, was temporarily stalled when the firm confronted difficulties on the west bank of Cape LaCroix Creek near Route K.

"When they removed the dirt and were cutting the slope back, we had some rain and some of the dirt slid down the bank," he said.

But Bill Busch, resident engineer for the Corps of Engineers in Cape Girardeau, said the matter already is resolved.

"We've resolved that and started doing the rip rap on that bank today," he said Thursday. "We'll be digging out some unsuitable materials and replacing it with some stone and building that back up."

Both Busch and Eftink said the mild weather this winter has aided the project.

"It's really going well," said Busch. "The weather this winter has really cooperated and helped us to push ahead of the schedule a little bit."

Now that the contractor is ready to begin concrete work, Eftink said the weather will play an even bigger role in how soon the first phase of construction will be completed.

"The only thing that's going to slow them down on the concrete work is the weather," he said. "They are making plans to go downstream on the project and start working their way back up with the concrete.

"Of course, it will go slower with the concrete work, but things are going well on this project."

Included in the first segment of the project is replacement of the Bloomfield Road bridge, which will be coordinated with construction of an underpass for a hiking and bicycling trail that's included in the Cape LaCroix Creek portion of the project.

The entire flood-control project, which could be completed by 1994, includes three miles of channel modifications on Cape LaCroix Creek and Walker Branch, construction of a 157-acre water-detention basin north of Cape Girardeau, and construction of a four-mile hiking and bicycling trail.

The project also will involve replacement of eight bridges along Kingshighway. Bridges at Bloomfield Road, Route K and Independence will include concrete underpasses for the fitness trail.

"You can look at the rip rap work that's been done and see the recreation trail portion of the project, where they've shelved the bank for the trail," said Eftink.

The planning services coordinator said negotiations with property owners along the Walker Branch segment of the project also are proceeding on track.

"We've gotten good comments from them on the project and how it will affect their property," he said. "I think seeing that work started has helped it, because they know it's going to happen and they can see how it will benefit them."

The $35 million flood-control project is expected to reduce by 70 percent damages from a 100-year flood.