Subj : flood stuff was: Vacation To : Nancy Backus From : Barry Martin Date : Wed Oct 09 2019 09:27:00 Hi Nancy! BM>> Generally not the reason for the interruption here. Some have a BM>> reason of a steep hill or ravine. Most seem to have no reason now but BM>> possibly in the past a small farm or large property. And there are a BM>> handful of streets which jog; almost like the Internet joke picture of BM>> the bridge being constructed and the two halves don't align. NB>> We've got the ravines and such too in places... and the occasional jog NB>> in some streets as well... In Syracuse, there are a few major streets NB>> that the name stays with the street as it makes a right or left turn, NB>> and the straightaway has a new name... probably history behind that, NB>> too... but it can catch a visitor off guard for sure... BM>> That could be a little confusing! Here Kimberly Rd. is generally BM>> east- west from one end of Davenport to the other; gets into Bettendorf BM>> and almost immediately takes a 90ø turn east down to the River. (?!) BM>> No idea why -- like you mentioned there is probably a historic reason. NB> Which is the older municipality, Bettendorf or Davenport...? NB> Maybe it was the safest way to go down to the River, or there was NB> a particular dock there.... Davenport is older; Bettendorf originally was a 'bedroom community'. As for why Kimberly Rd. makes that right angle turn, no idea other than a guess of finishing the street off. It's about forty blocks parallel to the Mississippi River and has always been a major east-west thoroughfare. Maybe years ago (before Bettendorf) it made sense to make a turn at the end of Davenport to allow the road to finish some place logical, or at least connect to the other east-west roads. BM> ...If one continues straight from Davenport's Kimberly Rd. goes into BM> Bettendorf's Spruce Hills Drive. It is hilly, maybe was a patch of BM> spruce woods originally? NB> I'd guess that Kimberly Rd was the original road, and when they NB> wanted to put in a road up the hill, it got the new name... and NB> might have been plenty of spruces there originally... or at the NB> end of the road... ;) Or "we spruced up that hill" and got contracted! BM>>> As for the 'Venice option', would be interesting as a tourist BM>>> attraction but we don't have the history to make it logical. Well, BM>>> other than flooding. Suppose if they did go through with the concept BM>>> would also include road revisions. I think River Drive was only BM>>> flooded for a few blocks beyond the downtown area, just traffic was BM>>> rerouted miles before because of being able to get to the detour routes BM>>> easily/conveniently. Elevate or otherwise protect a section, then BM>>> reroute around 'Venice- Davenport'. In the downtown area walkways and BM>>> shuttles.... Probably better to stick with the floodwall and keep BM>>> things dry! NB>>> It's an intriging option all the same... ;) The Erie Canal used to NB>>> run right through downtown Rochester... when the Barge Canal was put NB>>> in, the Erie was drained and used first for a subway, and then just as NB>>> streets (part became part of one of the expressways)... Now there are NB>>> people arguing for replacing a portion of the Erie Canal downtown as a NB>>> tourist attraction... ;) BM>> They dig out for the canal then they fill it back in for the subway! BM>> As for the tourist attraction, could see that. People watch the ships, BM>> barges, etc., go through the lock and dam system here. A history of BM>> how the Canal was conceptualized and constructed and used could be BM>> interesting. NB>> I don't think anything that extensive would be put in downtown here... NB>> People can go down to the Barge Canal, still much in use, to see how NB>> the locks and dams work... there are regular river boat cruises here, NB>> in various parts of the system, too... Our high school class did that NB>> twice for a reunion activity... a dinner cruise... :) BM> Was anyone suspicious of the 'fresh fish' dinner option?! NB> ;) I don't recall if we chose that as one of the options to be NB> available.... ;) We did it for our 40th, to be a little NB> different, and then again for our 45th because it had been so NB> much fun... We did the Sam Patch one first, and then a slightly NB> larger one, on a different section of the canal, the second NB> time... :) Sounds like a good celebration! BM>> ...This week there have been brief news blurbs on flood recovery, etc. BM>> One popular new restaurant is not re-opening; I don't recall details BM>> on why but apparently was popular with the anchor staff at the TV BM>> station the way the conversation went. Some other stores/shops/ BM>> eateries/etc. are not reopening but their sites have been leased and BM>> so replaced. NB>> So recovery is continuing apace... ;) BM> Yes. To me the smart thing to do would be to re-establish out of BM> areas of future potential flooding but then that single requirement BM> isn't always logically possible: moving inland a few additional blocks BM> and one is out of downtown and into residential. About a dozen blocks BM> up the hill one gets into another mostly business section but it's not BM> with a 'downtown feel'. NB> I guess they'll just have to weigh the risk/benefits... Short of NB> moving the whole business section further from the River, I'd NB> guess they'd want to stay where the business is... :) IMO yes. Several decades ago may have been a good time to move Downtown as was pretty much deteriorating: "everything" moved to the Malls and 'shopping Downtown Davenport' was no longer. Recently a return to Downtown, so would be difficult/expensive to move it. ...They'll figure it out. BM>> As for the floodwall, slowly moving and read where consultants BM>> familiar with projects of this size will be called in. NB>> So maybe something will be in place for the next flood season... ;) BM> Unfortunately not. Actually there is minor flooding going on BM> currently: the Mississippi and other local rivers are from close to to BM> just above flood stage -- not enough to make it necessary to wade BM> through Downtown Davenport but some streets have been closed downriver. NB> Just not so spectacular, so doesn't make the news.... Like the NB> ongoing flood risk anytime there's some wind and somewhat strong NB> winds along the Lake Ontario shoreline... Right. The current/recent flooding is hitting our news because is a local item; not going nationally as not overly spectacular. LeClaire Park along the River is flooded - pretty much floods to some degree every year. BM>>> activity at the nest. ... Post from a week ago: of the four eagles BM>>> they're tracking (I'm guessing the two form this year and two a BM>>> previous year) three are in northern Wisconsin and one was up there and BM>>> returned to the Quad Cities area (here). His tracking map indicated in BM>>> an area downriver from Arsenal Island (I'm upriver and the parents' BM>>> nest is a few miles further upriver). NB>>> So possibly decided that your area was a nice place to settle after NB>>> all... :) BM>> Apparently! Don't know if the one young eagle would eventually take BM>> over his parents' nest - would think build his own and would be nice BM>> if the new site was viewable. Guess just wait and find out! NB>> Guess so... ;) Have to find a mate first, too.... BM> True -- haven't read any comments on that. NB> So, yes, just wait and see.... :) The website comments have been updated but only as to storage by month/ season. I take a quick look every so often at the webcams but haven't seen any activity. Well, does look like the cameras have been electronically moved: backed off some - not doing a close-up. ¯ ® ¯ Barry_Martin_3@ ® ¯ @Q.COM ® ¯ ® .... "The Lion Attacked!" by Claude Enarmoff --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.47 þ wcECHO 4.2 ÷ ILink: The Safe BBS þ Bettendorf, IA --- QScan/PCB v1.20a / 01-0462 * Origin: ILink: CFBBS | cfbbs.no-ip.com | 856-933-7096 (454:1/1) .