Part of a $380 million renovation project on the Gateway Arch grounds, a new riverfront path is built two feet higher above the banks of the mighty Mississippi River.
"The stretch of riverfront below the Gateway Arch should better withstand flooding after being raised about two feet, meaning fewer shutdowns when the Mississippi River rises in the area popular with tourists," reports Leah Thorsen.
The riverfront project is part of a $380 million restoration of the Gateway Arch grounds, including the rebuilt Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard and a bike path along a 1.5-mile stretch from Chouteau Avenue to Biddle Street. "Other upgrades include new lighting, landscaping, benches and bike racks," adds Thorsen. Planetizen has been tracking the CityArchRiver project, as it's called, since its early conceptual stages in September 2010.
The flood control aspects of the project weigh prominently, however, as the city prepares to celebrate the opening of the new path today. Just this previous winter, the city of St. Louis saw widespread flooding, and construction of the Gateway Arch renovation project was shut down three times by flooding since construction commenced in December 2013. The rest of Gateway Arch grounds are expected to reopen this fall.
Read the full story: Rebuilt and elevated Arch riverfront should mean less flooding
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