A completed road project in Auburndale will help reduce flooding and improve water quality thanks to a partnership between the District and the city.
Auburndale city leaders recently dedicated the PK Avenue project, which made improvements to the roadway that reduced residential flooding and helped improve water quality.
The project was co-operatively funded by the District, the Auburndale Community Redevelopment Agency, and the City of Auburndale. This $4.5 million project received $1,315,150 of its funding from the District.
Janie Hagberg, the District’s chief professional engineer, said the project will have a positive impact on the Auburndale community.
“The City of Auburndale transformed a standard four-lane roadway with no stormwater treatment into a community gem that will improve water quality,” Hagberg said.
To meet the challenges of this project, PK Avenue was transformed from a four-lane road to a two-lane road with specialized retention areas, known as bio-swales, added on both sides. The bio-swales reduce the amount of stormwater runoff and treat the runoff to improve the water quality of nearby Lake Lena and the Peace River. The project is estimated to achieve a 61 percent reduction in nutrients contributed annually to the watershed.
The project’s bio-swales feature Florida-friendly, wetland plants and function as rain gardens.
Click here to learn more about the District’s Cooperative Funding Initiative.