uncover old rivers in detroit

[SWMAP]

Fow what its worth, I don't think anyone envisions the City of Detroit paying for such a project. It would be grants, Federal funds etc. Perhaps you are still opposed because that money could be spent on the poor in the programs you envision.

The concept is called "daylighting." It can make a tremendous impact on the quality of city life. pPrhaps such a thing happening to Parent's creek would dramatically change the mood and aspirations of the east side. Living in a humane place rather than a dump can make a tremendous impression on the human heart.

Something similar happened in Seoul when it uncovered a waterway that had been a sewer for many years:

"But four years after the stream was uncovered, city officials say, the environmental benefits can now be quantified. Data show that the ecosystem along the Cheonggyecheon [[pronounced chung-gye-chun) has been greatly enriched, with the number of fish species increasing to 25 from 4. Bird species have multiplied to 36 from 6, and insect species to 192 from 15.
The recovery project, which removed three miles of elevated highway as well, also substantially cut air pollution from cars along the corridor and reduced air temperatures. Small-particle air pollution along the corridor dropped to 48 micrograms per cubic meter from 74, and summer temperatures are now often five degrees cooler than those of nearby areas, according to data cited by city officials.
And even with the loss of some vehicle lanes, traffic speeds have picked up because of related transportation changes like expanded bus service, restrictions on cars and higher parking fees.
“We’ve basically gone from a car-oriented city to a human-oriented city,” said Lee In-keun, Seoul’s assistant mayor for infrastructure, who has been invited to places as distant as Los Angeles to describe the project to other urban planners.
Some 90,000 pedestrians visit the stream banks on an average day."

From a NYT article "Peeling Back Pavement to Uncover Watery Havens" 7/16/2009

[JBMcB]

It would be grants, Federal funds etc.

Oh, well that's just fine then. As we all know, federal money flows from heaven like manna, and will always and ever be increasing to cover every huge public works project city leaders deem fashionable at the time.

Seriously? Our bridges are falling apart. The sewer system is imploding, literally. Fire engines and ambulances are falling apart. Schools are awful in nearly every aspect. The roads are awful. What little mass transit there is is falling apart. The city can't manage to shut off a wildly unpopular incinerator as it seems it can't find what else to do with it's trash.

$1 Billion for unnecessary drainage system re-engineering? Why not! It'll look pretty!

[eastland]

$1 Billion for unnecessary drainage system re-engineering? Why not! It'll look pretty![/QUOTE]

Most of these drains/streams/creeks were covered in the first place because of health reasons -- check out the Milk River/Black Marsh/Fox Creek hall of fame thread