Milam County has been approved for more than $1.8-million in aid from Hurricane Harvey disaster relief funds and City Manager Chris Whittaker is hoping some of it can be used to help correct some of Rockdale’s chronic flooding problem.
County Judge Dave Barkemeyer has been notified Milam has been approved for a community development block grant that includes $1,384,055 for local buyouts/acquisitions and $510,000 for infrastructure.
“That’s the county total,” Whittaker said. “We’re going to have a meeting with the county and see how the funding will be distributed.”
Whittaker said three locations which sustained damage when Harvey visited the Rockdale area in August, 2017, will be priorities for using the funds.
He said an area between the east end of Alcoa Avenue and Bushdale Road, which runs by the junior-high, is a problem spot.
“We need to clean it out good, so the water doesn’t get trapped in there and flood,” he said.
Whittaker said another major problem backs up a fork of Ham Branch on North Burleson, with overflow often crossing the road and causing street damage.
Whittaker said the major property owner in that area has indicated he would sell to the city.
“There’s money in what has been approved for property acquisition,” Whittaker said.
The other target is probably the one most familiar to Rockdale drivers.
It’s Meadow Drive, a major drainage for water heading from northwest Rockdale.
Meadow between Brazos and US 79 often carries 4 to 5 inches of water during substantial rains and city crews frequently barricade that part of the street.
It even sports a flood-depth sign on the west side.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.