Tampa speeding up infrastructure projects after series of torrential rains caused flooding

Aaron Mesmer

TAMPA - The City of Tampa announced Friday its speeding up several stormwater infrastructure projects after a series of torrential rains caused flooding throughout South Tampa.

City leaders highlighted the projects at a site known as MacDill 48 Park, which is next to Skyview Park off of Interbay Boulevard.

When it opens next year, this site will include one of the city's largest stormwater ponds, with the capacity to hold about 25 million gallons of water, that's the equivalent of 1,650 swimming pools. It'll also have walking trails and beautiful scenic views, according to the city.

These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to safeguard our streets and neighborhoods from the ever-present threat of flooding, said Tampa Mobility Director Vik Bhide, during a news conference.

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"Certain areas, we get two and a half, three inches of rain in one hour. Typically, our stormwater systems are not designed for this sort of intensity in this short of a duration and what impact it has on our streets is there's a little bit of street flooding, sometimes quite a bit of street flooding," Bhide said, adding, because of this project, "we'll have more capacity to move stormwater through this area."

Bhide says there are also safeguards in case of a 100-year storm that would drain the overflowing pond and push water out into Hillsborough Bay.

There are also other projects in the works in North Tampa, Southeast Seminole Heights, the Golf View neighborhood, and the lower Tampa peninsula near MacDill Air Force Base.

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