Mark Twain neighbors located in the area along Westwood Avenue between Seminole Street and Wayland Street may be noticing survey crews collecting data for an upcoming stormwater improvement project anticipated for construction in 2021.
City consultant Great River Engineering is currently completing the design plans for the project, located roughly along Westwood Avenue and Seminole Street between the intersections of Westwood Avenue and Wayland Street and Seminole Street and Nettleton Avenue.
The area has experienced historic flooding into crawlspaces, frequent street flooding along Nettleton and Westwood, as well as overflowing of the detention basin at Seminole and Nettleton.
“Our goal is to provide additional stormwater conveyance from the detention basin at Seminole and Nettleton to reduce the number of times the basin overtops and flows down Nettleton, flooding homes along the way,” explains Public Works project manager Zachary Mills.
The project will most likely utilize new underground storm pipe and inlets to allow for proper drainage. Additional detention volume may also be provided through the excavation of the detention basin at Wayland and Westwood.
Completion of design plans is anticipated in March 2020, with construction to begin in 2021 depending on acquisition of necessary easements.
The estimated cost of the stormwater improvements is $489,000 funded through the 2017 renewal of Springfield’s Level Property Tax.