St. Pete city officials and residents of the Shore Acres neighborhood gathered Wednesday to discuss a $32 million flood mitigation project aimed at reducing chronic flooding in the low-lying St. Petersburg community.

The plan calls for building a new pump station and replacing part of a culvert on Connecticut Avenue, with construction expected to begin in October 2026 and last approximately 20 months.

Brejesh Prayman, the city’s Director of Engineering and Capital Improvements, said the project would address both routine summer flooding and storm surge backflow. He added that funding comes from a mix of grants and stormwater fees paid by residents.

For many Shore Acres homeowners, the need is personal. Resident Markus Koeppku said he was forced to evacuate during each of his first three hurricane seasons in the neighborhood and experienced flooding for the first time in 2024. He and his family have since been renting while their home is elevated 14 feet off the ground.

“If I renovate my house, I only want to do it once,” Koeppku said. He expressed hope the project would bring relief not just to Shore Acres, but to flood-affected residents across St. Petersburg.

City officials also said that, in combination with other planned improvements, the project could eventually help lower residents’ insurance rates. In the meantime, Prayman said the city is continuing maintenance operations and installing backflow preventers at heavily impacted locations ahead of the upcoming hurricane season.

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