TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The debate over flooding in South Tampa is heating up as residents and business owners prepare to weigh in on the city’s more than $100 million flood relief project.
The SoHo Alliance is expected to discuss the proposal this morning at 10 a.m., as supporters say the project is urgently needed to address chronic flooding.
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“We are on borrowed time,” resident Maegen Luka said. “Decades of neglect must come to an end now. The project needs to move forward now.”
The city is proposing a new stormwater system designed to move floodwater off streets and out of neighborhoods and into Tampa Bay.
Tampa released video Monday simulating flooding during a strong summer storm, showing conditions before and after the proposed project is built.
A key part of the plan is a roughly 6,500-foot box culvert, an underground channel designed to move stormwater more quickly through South Tampa.
Brandon Campbell, the city’s mobility director, said the project would eliminate structural flooding while significantly reducing how long roadway flooding remains after storms.
The city says it considered 24 alternatives before selecting the current proposal, which officials believe would provide the most flood relief for the cost.
But opponents question whether the project is worth more than $100 million. They also worry construction along South Howard Avenue could disrupt businesses for years.
“I want them to get relief, I really do, but I’d like to see it with the project that we know is going to work, that we’ve seen the studies on, that isn’t going to cost $100 million and disrupt businesses that don’t flood for five years,” said Linda Misner, owner of Body by Design.
Supporters argue the investment is necessary to protect homes and businesses from increasingly serious flooding.
“It’s not a boondoggle. It is a way to save our homes,” Luka said, adding that the project would improve safety for residents, businesses and nearby hospitals.
City leaders say they plan to limit the disruption by phasing construction and keeping businesses accessible throughout the project.
The Tampa City Council is scheduled to discuss the flood relief project Thursday. Council members will ultimately decide whether to approve the proposed construction price.