The City of St. Petersburg has been awarded a $2.2 million federal grant to fund stormwater mitigation projects on two roadways that flooded repeatedly during past hurricanes, city officials announced.
Mayor Kenneth Welch said the projects represent a small piece of the city’s broader resiliency efforts but will meaningfully help residents and drivers who use the affected roads. He said the funding is critical as climate impacts grow more frequent.
One project will upsize storm drains on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South near Lake Maggiore, just south of Salt Creek. The road was closed for days after Hurricane Helene in 2024 due to flooding. Nearby resident Dr. Lloyd Wright said he has seen fish swimming in his front yard during heavy rain and high tides, and welcomed the planned improvements, calling the flooding “very terrible.”
The second project will upslope storm drains and add inlets on 4th Street North at 88th Avenue in the Riviera Bay neighborhood, another area that flooded during Helene and continues to experience recurring street flooding during heavy rain and tidal-influenced stormwater backups. Riviera Bay Civic Association President Vanessa Pugliese said residents support any city investment addressing the issue.
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor requested the federal funds, which were awarded through FEMA’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant program. She said the funding follows requests from constituents for federal help shoring up local flood infrastructure, made possible after Congress passed its appropriations bills.
City Public Works Administrator Claude Tankersley said design and permitting for the projects will take a couple of years. The total cost of each project is estimated at about $10 million.
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