Federal grants will fund drainage improvements in two flood-prone areas, while St. Petersburg voters will decide in November whether to authorize up to $600 million in bonds for broader resilience projects.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg has received approximately $2.29 million in federal funding for two drainage projects as the city prepares for a November vote on a separate $600 million infrastructure bond.
The federal grants will support work along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South and near Fourth Street North and 88th Avenue North. Each project is expected to cost about $10 million, meaning the grants will cover only part of the total expense.
Two Flood-Prone Areas Receive Federal Funding
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch announced the funding July 27.
The city will receive $1,145,144 for the MLK Street South Flooding Alleviation project. The work will focus on the stretch between 30th Avenue South and 36th Avenue South, near Lake Maggiore and Salt Creek.
The project is intended to address recurring flooding along the major South St. Petersburg corridor. Plans include improving the roadway and installing larger stormwater infrastructure to move water away more quickly during heavy rain.
Another $1,145,144 will support drainage improvements near Fourth Street North and 88th Avenue North in the Riviera Bay area.
That project is expected to include larger stormwater pipes and additional drainage inlets. The improvements are intended to increase the system’s capacity and reduce street flooding and property damage during heavy rain.
Both corridors experienced significant flooding during recent storms, including Hurricane Helene. Flooded roads have affected access to homes, schools, workplaces, medical facilities and emergency routes.
The funding was awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant program after Castor submitted the projects for federal funding.
St. Petersburg Public Works Administrator Claude Tankersley said each project is expected to cost approximately $10 million. Design and permitting could take a couple of years before construction begins.
$600 Million Bond Referendum Set for November
The federal grants are separate from a proposed $600 million general obligation bond that will appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
The St. Petersburg City Council voted 7-0 on July 23 to approve the ballot language. Councilmember Gina Driscoll was absent from the vote.
The referendum will ask voters whether the city should be allowed to issue up to $600 million in bonds for storm resilience and utility infrastructure.
Eligible projects could include floodwater protection, stormwater pump stations, drainage improvements, wastewater collection and treatment facilities, and drinking-water distribution and supply systems.
The bonds would be repaid through property-tax revenue. They could be issued in one or more phases, with each issuance carrying a repayment period of no more than 30 years.
Approval would authorize the city to borrow up to $600 million. It would not require St. Petersburg to issue the entire amount at once.
Bond Would Accelerate Citywide Projects
The proposed bond is part of the city’s St. Pete Agile Resilience program, known as SPAR.
The city has identified approximately $2.7 billion in stormwater, wastewater and drinking-water projects through the program. Without the bond, much of that work would be funded gradually through utility revenue over approximately 24 years.
City projections indicate the bond could add approximately $120 million in infrastructure spending annually between roughly 2027 and 2031, shortening the overall project schedule from about 24 years to approximately 19 years.
The bond would supplement existing utility funding rather than replace it. The city’s preliminary project list includes larger drainage systems, stormwater pumps, flood gates, canal improvements and upgrades to water and wastewater facilities. The list remains subject to change based on engineering priorities, available funding and community needs.
A preliminary estimate places the potential property-tax rate at approximately 0.96 mills. At that rate, the cost would equal about $96 per year for every $100,000 in taxable property value.
The final cost would depend on how much the city borrows, when the bonds are issued, interest rates and changes in St. Petersburg’s taxable property base.
St. Petersburg voters will make the final decision on the bond referendum Nov. 3. The two federally funded drainage projects will move forward separately using the grants and other project funding.