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Commission Tackles Flooding Problems

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By LAURA KINSLER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 12, 2007

UNIVERSITY AREA - It doesn't take a hurricane for rain to overwhelm storm- water drains in the University Area.

The area around University Mall has long been susceptible to flooding. Normal summer thunderstorms have forced the county to close streets in the community, particularly around 131st Avenue and 22nd Street.

So Hillsborough County commissioners have allocated $341,000 of Community Investment Tax revenue to realign the underground stormwater lines at 131st Avenue and 20th Street.

Project manager Robby Wiseman said that particular area floods because the existing pipes have an "awkward alignment" that causes rainwater to back up into the street.

Nobody has to tell that to Larry Pence, plant director for University Village on 22nd Street. Much of the area was underwater in 2004 after Hurricane Frances dumped 8 inches of rain on Tampa.

While the retirement center's main tower is on high ground, its new villas between 20th and 22nd streets were surrounded by a virtual moat. "We only had three residents back then, but the water was inches from their homes," he said.

Hillsborough County and Tampa have acquired more than $8 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for other drainage improvements to the area. The 22nd Street widening project also will improve drainage along that busy thoroughfare. Both of those projects are more than a year from construction.

Wiseman said the CIT project will help immediately. "We're going to be installing new pipes to improve the flow," he said. "The design is at the 90 percent completion point."

The new pipes will be about twice the size. Construction should start in late spring. The intersection will be closed during the monthlong construction period, but the project should be completed well before next year's rainy season, Wiseman said.

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 865-4844 or lkinsler@tampatrib.com.

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