As part of its continued dedication to improve existing drainage infrastructure and mitigate drainage issues in Betton Hills and throughout the community, the City of Tallahassee commenced the Lee Avenue Drainage Improvements Project.
Betton Hills is an older neighborhood located in northeast Tallahassee. A portion of the existing stormwater infrastructure in Betton Hills is inadequate to handle runoff from regularly occurring rainfall events. Residents along Lee Avenue and West Randolph Circle have reported flooding of roadways, yards, homes and garages in addition to localized areas of erosion and sediment deposition.
The Lee Avenue Drainage Improvement Project will improve the stormwater system serving Lee Avenue, located primarily between Dillard Street and Lemond Street. The project will also include improvements to address roadside conditions, in addition to upgrading drainage infrastructure, at 2006 and 2008 W. Randolph Circle. Under current conditions, stormwater runoff regularly exceeds this system's capacity, resulting in increased stormwater flows across Lee Avenue and over adjacent lands to the west (downhill) toward W. Randolph Circle and Trescott Drive. The Lee Avenue Drainage Project will increase stormwater capture and conveyance capacity along Lee Avenue and will include the construction of a new stormwater outfall pipe that will run from Lee Avenue to the McCord ditch along the project area alignment shown on the exhibit.
The City has committed resources to improve the drainage infrastructure in the area and is developing drainage improvement concepts to mitigate as many of the known roadway and structural drainage issues as practical. While the project design process moves forward, City personnel is performing drainage maintenance in the area to ensure the existing facilities operate at the highest capacity. This typically involves excavating roadside ditches and sediment removal from side drains (driveway culverts) and grate inlets.
For additional information about the project, please contact Amelia Bryant, PE, City of Tallahassee Stormwater Management Division, at 850-891-6842 or amelia.bryant2@talgov.com. Answers to some frequently asked questions are provided below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the project status?
The Lee Avenue Drainage Improvement Project is in the advertisement, bid and award phase, which is anticipated to be completed by April 2024, after which construction will soon commence. We are estimating construction, once initiated, will require a little over one year (380 days), barring unanticipated delays.
Will this project eliminate future flooding in the neighborhood?
Like many older neighborhoods in Tallahassee, Betton Hills was established prior to modern development practices and present stormwater standards. Subsequently, the area does not possess adequate drainage infrastructure to meet the community's stormwater management expectations of today. Due to the constrained characteristics of developed lands, upgrading the entire neighborhood's drainage infrastructure to modern standards is not feasible. The goal of the project is to improve drainage infrastructure that will sufficiently mitigate the most significant drainage issues, particularly those that result in structural flooding and are known to be regularly occurring.
How can I get more information about the project?
The City's project manager is available to discuss the project with owners and residents individually. Please contact Amelia Bryant, PE, City of Tallahassee Stormwater Management Division, at 850-891-6842 or amelia.bryant2@talgov.com.