We Finally Have A Trinity River Vision Boondoggle Project Timeline

There has been a time or two or three when I have blogged about being perplexed by the fact that I have never seen any sort of Project Timeline in any of the vast amounts of printed  material churned out by the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle, or its propaganda cohort, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

So, imagine my surprise to see an article in the Sunday, September 15, 2013 Star-Telegram titled Trinity Uptown bridges in Fort Worth will initially span dirt, not water in which there is a link to the extremely detailed "Trinity Uptown" Project Timeline you see above.

From that Project Timeline we learn that in 2014 a contractor will be hired to build a bridge. In 2017 three bridges are scheduled to be completed and in 2021-23 the much needed flood control project will be completed, pending federal funding.

I really do not understand why it is that so many people complain that the Star-Telegram is not a real newspaper, what with hard hitting investigative journalism of the sort evidenced by this particular Trinity Uptown bridges in Fort Worth will initially span dirt, not water article and its detailed Project Timeline.

The dirt the bridges span in this article's title refer to the flood diversion channel, which will be dug after the bridges are built.

Regarding that flood diversion channel in the Star-Telegram article we learn...

The timetable for digging the channel and making the other flood control improvements is less certain. Even by optimistic projections, that work likely won’t be finished until 2023 — two years later than the previous target date.

And why is the digging of this channel uncertain? Once more from the Star-Telegram...

Fort Worth is counting on Congress to eventually provide about half the $910 million needed to finish the sweeping project. But it’s not clear when — some say if — all the federal funds will come. “In this constrained funding environment, we must focus on projects that have the greatest impacts on life safety. The result is, we have insufficient federal funding to continue the project at this time,” said Brig. Gen. Thomas Kula, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers’ Southwestern Division, which includes Texas.

You reading this in other locations in America I bet you did not know that Fort Worth is thinking it is going to stick you with half the tab for this combo flood control economic development project.

I'd hazard to guess you'll be even more perplexed when I tell you that you've already paid for flood control levees which have prevented any damaging flooding in the downtown Fort Worth area for well over half a century.

You reading this in other locations in America, those being locations where the citizens vote on these things called bond issues to fund much needed public works projects, are likely wondering two things, with one of those things being wondering, if this project is so important, why don't the locals vote to pay for it themselves? And you are likely also wondering, if this project is so important, you know, for flood control, why is it being built at a snail's pace?

The Star-Telegram inadvertently sheds some light on to what is behind this boondoggle when it quotes Congresswoman Kay Granger's son, J.D., he being the executive director of the boondoggle, installed in this job, for which he has zero qualifications, in order to give his mama a motivation to help get that much needed federal funding. A plan which has not worked out all that well, so far.

J.D. gives the Star-Telegram a typically inane quote the point of which I'm not quite sure I understand...

J.D. Granger, executive director of the authority, said the project won’t need full funding from the corps for many years. Right now, supporters are simply seeking Congress’ approval to build the channel, making it eligible for actual funding. “We couldn’t spend more than $400 million in one year because we’d have to move 800 million cubic yards of dirt,” he said. “It’s impossible.”

I know, you reading this in other parts of America are wondering how it is this boy keeps this job. Well, I'd have to try and explain the Fort Worth Way of doing things, but I really don't understand the Fort Worth Way of doing things, so I can not explain it....