$7.1M grant aids railroad bridge replacement

Construction to replace the old Norfolk Southern Railroad bridge, near Findlay's downtown, will likely begin in 2022. The bridge is being replaced as part of the flood mitigation effort in Hancock County. A $7.1 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, or RAISE, grant has been awarded to the Maumee Watershed Conservancy District, Defiance, from the Federal Rail Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grant will pay for about 80% of the construction of the near $9 million project. The conservancy district applied for the grant in July. The balance of the project cost will be paid from the Hancock County Flood Fund. Hancock County voters in 2009 approved a 10-year, 0.25% additional sales tax to support the fund. Other "potential sources" of funding are also being pursued, according to Clark Lynn Army, general manager of the conservancy district. The conservancy district serves Allen, Auglaize, Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Lucas, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Shelby, Van Wert, Williams and Wood counties. The bridge, which is over 100 years old, straddles the Blanchard River just west of Findlay's downtown. According to Stantec engineering, supports for the bridge are a "pinch point" in the river and act as a dam during floods. The 150-foot span of the bridge will be replaced by a new bridge with a span of 300 feet. The enlarged opening will allow the Blanchard River to flow more efficiently, Army said, and is expected to reduce the elevation of a 100-year flood by about 5 inches. Flood mitigation efforts along the Blanchard River at Findlay — including the Eagle Creek flood basin, river benching, clearing of the flood plain and improvements to the Norfolk Southern Railroad bridge — are expected to remove about half of 5,000 properties from the 100-year flood plain in Hancock County. The public can monitor its progress at www.hancockcountyflooding.com Updates to the flood maps to reflect the changes, however, may take years. Flood insurance policyholders are eligible for a review of their premiums under the Federal Emergency Management Agency's new "risk rating" program for flood insurance. Homeowners should ask their insurer for the review. The federal agency has the capability and tools to judge rates based on more "flood risk variables," including flood frequency, multiple flood types — river overflow, storm surge, coastal erosion, and heavy rainfall — distance to a water source and property characteristics, such as elevation and the cost to rebuild. All remaining policies renewing on or after April 1 will automatically be subject to the new rating methodology. The National Flood Insurance Program provides about $1.3 trillion in coverage for more than 5 million policyholders in 22,500 communities across the nation. Grant: 419-427-8412