The City of Brownsville Engineering and Public Works Department is seeking public comments on a proposed $1 million North Main Drain-Paredes Line Project that could help decrease flooding in the Southmost area of town.
The project is made possible by the Texas General Land Office 2018 South Texas Floods 2019 Disasters recovery funds for infrastructure projects. Public comments are required as part of the application process.
Request for public comments began July 11 and will continue until 5p.m. July 18.
According to city officials, the project will span from Sept. 9, 2022, through March 20, 2024, and will aim to decrease flooding effects caused by excess vegetation growth within the North Main Drain drainage ditch.
District 1 City Commissioner Nurith Galonsky is encouraging residents in her district to fill out the request comments form and be heard.
“The North Main Drain is one of Brownsville’s primary drainage basins and affects you if you live anywhere near the 4 corners,” Galonsky posted on her Facebook page.
“If you’ve experienced damage to your property because of flooding or feared driving the streets of Brownsville because stormwater didn’t drain fast enough after a sudden downpour, please write a few sentences describing your experience and mention that you support this project because you want better stormwater drainage in your city,” she added.
The project area is about 1,600 ft of drainage ditch located between Southmost Road and the outflow to Impala Pumps drain ditch. “The excessive vegetation growth significantly slows the drainage waters and thus significantly reduces the capacity of the drainage ditch affecting areas upstream which causes a safety concern to residents and affect the low to medium income families with the area,” the notice reads.
The project will consist of clearing and expanding the width of the ditch and lining its sides and bottom with concrete. This will allow added drainage capacity to the watershed and the lining will allow maintenance a free unobstructed pathway for drainage flow.
The project’s cost is $1,009,800.
Anyone wanting to submit their written comments can mail them to: Doroteo Garcia Jr., city engineer of the Department of Engineering and Public Works, 404 E. Washington St., 78520. They can also be sent by email to: [email protected]
