Letter To The Editor: Flood Wall Costs Should Be Clarified At Upcoming Meetings

Letter To The Editor:

In my most recent letter to the editor, I wrote that the city plans to build a $10,000 flood wall along Broadway. I omitted three zeros. The projected cost of the wall and rebuilding of Chessen Street is $10 million, not $10 thousand.

While 10 million dollars is a lot of money, is it enough to build a wall that will protect downtown Alton? I heard a rumor that the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates it would cost $50 million to build an effective flood wall.

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I could be wrong here, too. To clarify any misunderstandings and help the City Council make informed decisions when they vote on the flood wall design in the next few months, perhaps the Alton Riverfront Commission will invite the Army Corps and other river experts to its next meeting.

Libby Reuter, Alton

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