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Councilman Worried Expenses Will Swamp Trinity Project

By BJ Austin, KERA News

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-823933.mp3

Dallas, TX – Trouble with the levees along the Trinity River in Dallas "could" cost the city a BILLION dollars.

Councilman Mitchell Rasansky says that's what city-staff told him after the levees failed the latest Corps of Engineers inspection. He says a massive, concrete wall along the 22 miles of levees COULD be required.

Assistant City Manager Jill Jordan says probably NOT.

Jordan: We are just speculating on what the worst case could be. We want to know what that is, but it's not real. The Corps has not said that's going to be required. The geo-tech has not proven that it's necessary.

Rasansky says that BILLION dollars would add to a billion dollar shortfall in funding for the Trinity toll road - to be built along the east levee. Toll road officials say they won't know how to fill that "billion dollar gap" until after more studies are completed later this year.

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