HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Freddie Honor lives in the Progress Village neighborhood in Hillsborough County. He has experienced firsthand the devastating impact of flooding in his neighborhood.
"It gets very bad," he explained. "Sometimes it only takes 10 to 15 minutes for this whole section of the road to be underwater, like two feet underwater."
Freddie recounted a time before he had a car.
“I would have to walk home in the floods, and it would be up to my knees,” he said.
Honor says water made it inside his home during Hurricane Milton. That's why he has no problem with the road closures and construction happening nearby.
Hillsborough County is embarking on a significant drainage project aimed at addressing flooding issues head-on.
"This is a sizable drainage project," said Pierre Valles, the project manager for the construction project. "We are installing two new 54-inch pipes at a crossing that will be closed for two months. Currently, there is a 42-inch pipe, so adding these larger pipes will help us move water much faster."
Here are all of the improvements that the county says the project will include.
- Installation of new stormwater drain under Ash Avenue and South 83rd Street that proceeds south along South 83rd Street and under Progress Boulevard
- Replacement of existing drainage inlets and outfalls south of Progress Boulevard in an existing, County-owned easement that runs between houses toward Archie Creek and crosses Allamanda Avenue, Bahia Avenue, Croton Avenue, Dahlia Avenue, and Endive Avenue
- Connection to a water quality treatment dry pond south of Endive Avenue and north of Lamb Elementary School
- Floodplain compensation in an area south of Archie Creek
- Roadway and pavement improvements will include localized pavement resurfacing centered around drainage pipe crossings
Valles elaborated on the project’s design.
"On the south end, we’re building a floodplain compensation area and a retention pond to hold and divert water away from residents," he explained. “We’re hoping to help this neighborhood recover faster by increasing our volume capacity and improving water conveyance.”
Valles is well aware of how bad the flooding can get in this neighborhood.
"Last year, I saw videos of homeowners getting rescued by boats," he recalled. "That's how high the water got."
The county decided to take action after seeing the impacts from Hurricane Milton.
"This project has been in the works for a few years," Valles noted. "After the hurricane last year, my upper management decided to expedite it. I'm just here to execute it."
But how extensive is this project?
"The footprint of the project covers the north side of Progress Boulevard and extends five blocks south to Archie Creek, which eventually discharges into Tampa Bay." He anticipates that up to 1,000 homeowners will benefit from the enhancements.
Freddie Honor is optimistic about the incoming changes.
"Whenever you’re doing construction, it’s ugly in the first stages, but I think it’s going to serve a great purpose when they’re done.”
As the project progresses, Valles stressed the importance of patience.
"While the project is ongoing, the public won’t see the full benefits until we’re complete," he stated.
The anticipated completion date is April 2026, with significant improvements expected for the next hurricane season.
"This neighborhood will start benefiting from better drainage even during routine summer storms," he added.
As many residents, including Freddie, eagerly await these improvements, they remain hopeful that relief is finally on the horizon.
“I’m actually glad that they're trying to do something about it,” Freddie concluded. “It could tear up cars and damage homes. So, if it means ripping this road up, I’m all for it.”
For more on the project, you can find it here.
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