INDIANAPOLIS– The City of Indianapolis is planning to buy and demolish more than a dozen properties along the White River.
In total, there are fourteen properties that would be torn down. They are north of Butler University.
City leaders say it is part of a project to protect Rocky Ripple from a 100-year flood, which could leave the area under 20 feet of water if that kind of flood were to happen.
The city has $75 million in its budget to build a levee and floodwall system. They originally planned to build steel walls along the backside of properties, which would let people in their properties stay in their homes.
In order to stay on budget, however, the new plan is to buy out the properties and build levees in their place because that would be cheaper. The city says the rising cost of steel to build floodwalls would put them over the budget.
Rocky Ripple’s property owners pay flood insurance that costs between $1200-1700 a year. That requirement could disappear or the costs could be reduced if the flood control system is built.
Rocky Ripple is part of Indianapolis but retains a separate functioning town government.
