FLOOD PROJECT PROCEEDS; CORPS, CITY READY TO LET CAPE LACROIX, WALKER CREEK WORK BIDS

Five years after a devastating flood prompted grass-roots mitigation efforts, Cape Girardeau is poised to embark on a $34 million flood-control project.

The Corps of Engineers and the city engineering department Wednesday held a pre-bid conference with area contractors interested in the first segment of the project. The flood-control work is being funded jointly by the corps (about $24 million) and the city ($10 million).

The project, which involves channel modifications of Cape LaCroix Creek and Walker Branch and construction of a dry detention basin north of Cape Girardeau, is expected to reduce damages from a 100-year flood by 70 percent.

Flooding of Cape LaCroix Creek and Walker Branch in the past has caused extensive property damage in some western and southern parts of the city.

A May 1986 flood that caused an estimated $56 million in property damage was the impetus for a grass-roots campaign to raise local funds for flood-control work. Voters in 1988 approved a 10-year, quarter-cent sales tax to fund the city's share of the flood control project.

Also, after nearly two years of work, the City Council passed a storm-water ordinance in 1989 that's designed to further deter flood damage. The measure requires developers to provide storm-water retention structures for new residential and commercial developments.

At Wednesday's pre-bid conference with contractors, Ron Viehweg, area engineer for the Corps of Engineers, said funding of the flood control work involves a "very good partnership" between the city and the corps. Nearly 40 contractors and corps officials attended the meeting.

"Both the corps and the city are very enthused at the prospect of this project." Viehweg said.

Bill Busch, resident engineer for the corps, said bids on the project are scheduled to be opened May 31 in St. Louis.

But Ken Eftink, Cape Girardeau's planning services coordinator, said contractors might ask for an extension of the bidding deadline.

"Sometimes contractors ask for a couple extra weeks," he said. "We'll probably award the bid in late June or early July and, hopefully, the contractor will be able to get to work right away on it."

Busch said the first section of the project from about 1,500 feet "downstream" from the Bloomfield Road bridge over Cape LaCroix Creek to the southwest corner of Arena Park is expected to cost $5 million to $10 million.

The first segment of the project includes 45 bid items, and contractors are required to post bid bonds equal to 20 percent of their bid, or $3 million, whichever is less.

Busch said the contract sets a two-year completion deadline. Liquidated damages of $3,145 will be assessed daily for each day beyond the completion date, he added.

He said the contract also requires contractors to have accident-prevention plans.

"With a job this size, we're going to get involved in a lot of job-hazard analysis," Busch said.

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.

Following the meeting, contractors and corps officials went to various locations along the creek for on-site field inspections.

The city recently completed the purchase of 27 tracts of property along a 5,890-foot stretch of the creek in preparation for the start of construction on 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.