The city hired a Mankato engineering firm last week to make a historical and archaeological study of the area where the city plans to put the North Main Street flood wall so the city can receive state and federal funding for the project.
The city council voted 7-0 to hire Bolton and Menk Engineering to study the physical features of the ground and their relation to its geological structures, conduct historical research about the Mill Pond area, review a few buildings within the area to see if they are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places designation, and deal with any other questions posed by the State Historical Preservation Office.
The study will cost $16,480, which could come from the local sales tax, which is collected for use on flood-related projects.
The city has to have the study if it wants state or federal grant money for the North Main flood damage control project, which it considers a key project. The area flooded in 2008 and 2004, submerging a good portion of the north end of downtown Austin and causing millions of dollars worth of damage.
The North Main Street project is on the city's eight-point list of flood damage control projects.
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