For the low, low price of just $331,000 from the city, the state Department of Environmental Protection will replace two city bridges and clean up Sullivan Run.

But the state also will take $4.1 million in state capital money earmarked for three bridge replacements in 2002 and 2004 for this project.

City zoning officer John Evans Tuesday night recommended Butler City Council take the state up on its offer.

He explained to new council members that in the early 1990s the city sought state funds to help solve the Sullivan Run-flooding problem in the city's west side.

Sullivan Run carries water from Butler and Center townships through the city into Connoquenessing Creek.

Also in the 1990s, the city determined, with the help of

the state Department of Transportation, that th

e Penn, Brady and New Castle street bridges needed to be replaced.

That problem was exacerbated in 2004 with flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Ivan that caused eroding around the Brady Street Bridge.

At that point the city had engineering designs for the bridges completed and was waiting for DEP approval, Evans said. But then DEP representatives told the city the new bridge designs would not allow adequate water flow down Sullivan Run.

Evans told council the DEP said it would not allow the bridges to go forward as designed even though the city had used the flow projections provided by the DEP.

Now the DEP has asked the city to approve an agreement that would have the state build Sullivan Run into a box culvert in bridge areas and build an open concrete channel from Brady Street to Connoquenessing Creek.

This would correct some of the Sullivan Run flooding issues, but not erase the city's flood plain, Evans explained.

It also would solve the city's bridge problems, at least on Penn and Brady streets, leaving the city to build a new bridge over Sullivan Run on New Castle Street.

Mayor Maggie Stock asked Evans what his recommendation is considering the city would be required to pay about $331,000 for the project and pay an estimated $8,000 annually for maintenance of the bridge and culvert.

"Absolutely," he said. "It puts us one step closer to fixing the problem down there."

The DEP has provided a number of sources that may help the city pay its required match for the project.

Council will vote on the state's agreement at 7 p.m. Thursday at the City Building, 140 W. North St.