Denver Celebrates White House Funding Of South Platte River Project
(CBS4) - The City of Denver on Friday celebrated the approval of funding for a massive infrastructure project involving South Platte River.
The project just received a major boost from the White House worth $350 million. The funding is part of the federal infrastructure bill.
"Infrastructure investments like this do more than just improve our waterways or build roads and bridges. They build lives. They build communities, and they build futures," Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said during a news conference at Confluence Park on Friday afternoon.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is investing in the South Platte River project, focusing on the 6.5-mile stretch of the river that runs through Denver.
The money will go toward protecting the ecosystem around the river and reducing the flood risk for more than 350 nearby homes. The city says the project will also create more than 7,000 jobs and add more green spaces along the river.
The request for this funding came from Congresswoman Diana Degette, who says the river is a vital part of Denver's ecosystem.
"It's been a priority project of both your governor, your senator and your mayor there," said Mitch Landrieu, the infrastructure bill coordinator. "And the president was pleased to be able to produce this on behalf of the American people to make things safer, to make things better, to make them fairer and to reduce costs across the board."
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