Construction began today on a new stormdrain system in the westside Long Beach neighborhood of Arlington, where flooding is a constant concern and residents were flooded by three feet of water during rains last February.
When homes flooded during relatively light rains in February, most fingers pointed to a small drain at the center of the neighborhood that is often clogged with debris during storms and has since been deemed too small to handle rainy conditions. Residents were adamant, however, that the small drain is just one of the problems. The community suffers from unique conditions that make it prime for flooding, such as a downhill street from the north and a wall to the south, which create a literal bowl that fills the neighborhood like a swimming pool. The wall protects a nursery, whose vegetation is often the cause of the drain-clogging debris. Edison owns the property, and the wall, and did provide compensation for displaced residents during February’s flooding.
The new stormdrain will be constructed in addition to one already in existence that has been deemed too small to handle heavy rains. The new drain will empty into an underground basin. Residents have been waiting for action like this for some time, as the neighborhood has been flooded at least seven times in the past 20 years.
“This project will finally put Arlington residents’ fears at ease during the rainy season,” Mayor Bob Foster said. “This storm drain project also will create jobs, improve our local infrastructure and help the environment by capturing trash and bacteria that would otherwise end up in the Los Angeles River.”
The construction is a $1.5 million project funded by the Stimulus Act, and will create twenty full-time jobs, according to a press release from the City of Long Beach.
“After years of frustration, the residents of this neighborhood will finally be getting the protection they need from flooding,” said 7th District Councilmember Tonia Reyes Uranga, in the press release. The Arlington neighborhood is in her district.
“This wonderful day has been a long-time coming.”
Click here to read our story from March, about residents’ frustrations with the lack of action.