The Associated Press

VINCENNES, Ind. - City officials hope to draw residents back to the Wabash River with a project to build a walking path along the river.

The project was made possible with a $1 million grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation. City officials say the project would include a walking, jogging and bicycling path, about 1 mile long, that would give residents a place to exercise near the river and downtown.

Opponents say the river walk will be eroded by rising waters and coated in dirt and debris when the waters recede.

Assistant City Engineer Marc McNeece said such concerns are unfounded.

While the river will at times cover parts of the path, it will not hurt the surface, he said.

The path will run within 15 to 20 feet of the river, but it will be built six feet above what the Army Corps of Engineers said is the ordinary high-water mark.

The river walk project eventually will connect all the city's historical sites and branch out to all the city parks, Mayor Terry Mooney said.

"I can see it only being a plus," Mr. Mooney said. "People are trying to do things to revitalize downtown and we have a unique downtown. It's intact and there's a lot of history."