{"id":140896,"date":"2026-02-02T18:06:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T18:06:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/140896\/"},"modified":"2026-02-02T18:06:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T18:06:07","slug":"tampa-monitor-council-approves-additional-funding-for-south-howard-flood-relief-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/140896\/","title":{"rendered":"Tampa Monitor: Council approves additional funding for South Howard Flood Relief project"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ATampa City Council on Jan. 29, 2026. Credit: Screengrab \/ City Of Tampa Meetings\/YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n

Last Thursday morning Jean Duncan, the City of Tampa\u2019s Administrator of Infrastructure and Mobility, presented the latest update for the South Howard Flood Relief project making clear it\u2019s designed to solve for a five-year eight-hour rain event\u2014approximately 5.4 inches. <\/p>\n

Additionally, city staff contend that recent modeling shows the improvements would have handled 70% of the rain from Hurricane Milton.<\/p>\n

Duncan also defended the route design down Howard Avenue complete with a video animation demonstrating how much water the new project will move.<\/p>\n

South Howard Flood Relief project\u2019s latest cost estimate<\/p>\n

Included in the discussion was cost. Originally budgeted at $64.5 million council knew when approving the $7.7 million design contract that cost was likely to increase. Latest construction cost estimate is $98 million with a highly optimistic belief that cost could decrease during the design process.<\/p>\n

In the originally budgeted $64.5 million the city identified $39 million in stormwater funds, $10 million in state grants, $11 million from THEA and $4.5 million from water department (for PIPES related work). During last Thursday\u2019s workshop CFO Dennis Rogero noted only $18.5 million in stormwater funds were identified for the project along with the $10.1 million state grant. Moving the $21.5 million from the completed project would \u201callow us the opportunity to pursue the remaining $39.8 million funding needed.\u201d $25 million of which would be another state grant.<\/p>\n

After listening to six hours of public feedback (five during the workshop, another hour in the evening) council approved the funding move and in essence the project. Council members Guido Maniscalco, Naya Young and Bill Carlson voted no.<\/p>\n

Tampa City Council Chair was swing vote<\/p>\n

Council Chair Alan Clendenin was the swing vote stating \u201cI was tentatively yes on this project but recently I was starting to sway because of cost escalations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThankfully I\u2019ve been convinced the city team, leadership of Dennis Rogero, Jean Duncan, the mayor and everyone else who have weighed in have been able to put together a financial plan that is not as burdensome on the City of Tampa than it may have been as cost have escalated\u201d Clendenin added explaining his vote.<\/p>\n

He added he\u2019s also been reassured if the outside funding isn\u2019t realized this project won\u2019t be able to move forward.<\/p>\n

In a Facebook post Mayor Jane Castor thanked council for helping move the project forward adding \u201cBig infrastructure work isn\u2019t easy, but it will make a real difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Council will face one more vote tentatively scheduled for October (if the funding is secured) for a guaranteed maximum price with a tentative project completion slated for 2030.<\/p>\n

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This article appears in Jan. 29 \u2013 Feb. 04<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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