Norton Relieved that 17th Street Levee is on Track to Be Completed

WASHINGTON, DC – After a long contracting delay in the midst of construction, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that the resumption of construction on the levee at 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW has become increasingly urgent because of unprecedented storms in the east, such as Hurricane Sandy. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that construction will be completed by the end of summer 2014 on the levee, a key part of the Washington, D.C. Local Flood Protection Project. The Congresswoman secured $5.8 million in federal stimulus money for the 17th St. levee, which began construction in 2010, to protect the National Mall and surrounding neighborhoods.

"Particularly when it comes to the National Mall and monuments, among the nation's priceless sites, the delay in finishing the 17th Street levee has been unfortunate," said Norton. "There was great concern during Sandy that it would hit the District, and the Mall would be virtually unprotected from storm of that magnitude. The levee not only will mitigate the effects of flooding on the Mall, but also in the near Southeast and Southwest neighborhoods and other parts of the District downtown area."

Published: October 4, 2013