**POSTED** June 12, 2023 

Another step forward in the progress of creating Clarksville’s new Main Street. Crews with MAC Construction have begun the process of demolishing the current flood wall opening near the intersection of Main Street and Riverside Drive to make way for a newly designed opening.

The upgrade has been in the works for some time thanks to the Clarksville Redevelopment Commission, which has been working to redevelop South Clarksville and create a new downtown district in the Town. The RDC and Clarksville’s elected officials celebrated the opening of Main Street in November 2021, but finishing the connection to Riverside Drive had to wait until the flood wall project could be completed.

“Residents have been asking why it has taken so long to get the flood wall project started and Main Street completed,” said Clarksville Communications Director Ken Conklin. “Unfortunately, we had a number of factors that prevented us from moving forward sooner.”

One of the most challenging factors was the rigorous permitting process that the Town had to go through to get approval from the Army Corps of Engineers. Part of that process is the Town and the construction team having an emergency closing plan in the event of a flood.

“If by chance we had a major flooding event, the construction crew would have to have a plan and the materials on hand to close up the floodwall temporarily,” said Conklin. “We now have that plan in place.”

Another factor playing into the delay is that crews have a limited construction window in which to work on the flood wall. That window is set by the Army Corps of Engineers and considers the most likely and least likely time of year for the area to experience a major flooding event along the Ohio River.

The new flood wall will be expanded to provide better views of the Ohio River from Main Street, along with adding new sidewalks, bike lanes, and two lanes of traffic to Riverside Drive. Town officials are also working with a local ironworks designer to create a decorative steel top for the floodwall. What residents may not notice are the changes going on underground to utilities such as power, communications, and water. One of the big changes are stormwater improvements that will help rainwater in the newly developed downtown to drain into the Ohio River.

The entire project is expected to cost around $5.5 million with an estimated completion date of late 2023 or early 2024.

“The flood wall widening project is a huge undertaking with a very substantial cost but necessary given the vision and dream of a modern attractive downtown development,” said RDC President and Town Councilman Mike Mustain. “This project will allow residents and visitors alike to enjoy a beautiful transition from Main Street and the developments north of the flood wall to the calming and peaceful park setting, overlook of the river and the Louisville skyline.“