NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
The levee improvement project along the Cumberland River in Metro Center, just north of downtown, is on its way to completion.
Crews are moving dirt and making repairs to stabilize and reinforce the structure before completing the final stage.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began work to strengthen the levee over a decade ago.
The levee was stable enough to hold during the May 2010 flood. If improvements had not been made prior to the flood event, water would have overtopped the levee in seven different areas.
The final stages of the $10 million improvement project began more than six months ago.
Crews have since mowed three miles of high grass and leveled 1,300 trees. The levee system was unstable due to the surrounding tree root systems.
Crews are preparing to move the center line of the levee toward the river on one end and prepping to repair a railroad closure structure while they perform riverbank stabilization.
Once these tasks are complete, they will repave the greenway trail and add a small section of levee that runs parallel to the inland bridge of Interstate 65.
In addition to protecting the area from flooding, the redesigned levee will give passerby a better view of the river.
The levee improvement project is expected to be complete by June.
Previous Story:
