A City of Tampa Transportation and Stormwater Services project designed to alleviate flooding in South Tampa has been delayed, in part, because of standing water on the road.
Swann Avenue has been closed between South Habana Avenue and South Audubon Avenue since early April. That portion of the roadway is adjacent to Memorial Hospital.
Stormwater drainage improvements are being made from the infrastructure up, including replacing some pipes.
Originally, the City informed surrounding neighborhoods that the work was expected to wrap up by, or before, the first of August. The timeline was later pushed back to late August, and then mid September. However, the road remains closed.
The City tells 8 On Your Side work was hampered by a low-laying portion of Swann Avenue where water continued to collect. Also, contractors said the ground was too saturated to make paving the road possible. Even when standing water dried up, moisture under the road, and shading from the sun, made it too wet to appropriately pave the road.
However, the City maintains Swann Avenue will reopen by September 28.
Another project to reduce flooding is scheduled to begin on South Howard Avenue in early November, according to the City of Tampa. South Howard will be reconstructed between Morrison Avenue and Swann Avenue. The $615,890 project will include milling and resurfacing the existing road, construction of new curbs, adding a stormwater inlet, and installing 15 feet of 18-inch reinforced concrete pipe. The City estimates the project will be completed in mid December.
If you have a traffic concern that you’d like Traffic Reporter Meredyth Censullo to investigate, contact her at mcensullo@wfla.com or on Facebook at WFLAMeredyth.
