Organisers get construction green light for US GP site

Organisers of the 2012 US grand prix have received a green-light to begin work on the circuit at the Austin site.

Local KVUE news reports that a conditional approval has been granted for work within the Dry Creek flood plain to begin.

The authoritative American Statesman newspaper explained that the approval of Travis County Commissioners on Tuesday means initial “grading work” at the site will likely now take place before final approval is granted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“County officials said they anticipate no significant objections from FEMA,” said the report.

Organisers have said they would begin work this month, necessary to have the facility ready for the formula one circus to arrive in 2012.

However, there is still some uncertainty about who will pay the $6m price-tag for road improvements.  A recent county study found that it might take race-goers as long as 12 hours to leave the area after the inaugural event.

“Everybody is talking about a lot of people coming to our community and that this event is going to be a wild success,” said US GP spokesman Richard Suttle.

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