The City of Alexandria is seeking $2.5 million in state funding to help prevent flooding in the North Ridge neighborhood.
The Valley Drive Storm Drain Improvement project will improve the drainage system in North Ridge and capture floodwater before it accumulates in low-lying areas.
“The primary task is to relocate the current storm pipe to align with the existing Valley Drive right-of-way,” the project website said. “A new storm pipe will be installed along Crestwood Drive to connect with the structure at the intersection with Valley Drive.”
The city’s website said residents of Valley Drive have frequently suffered from localized flooding. According to the website:
Several residents have reported in-home flooding because the current curb inlets are unable to capture the excess water. These frequent flooding incidents support the findings from the City of Alexandria’s Storm Sewer Capacity Analysis. The analysis indicates that the storm sewer networks within the project area lack adequate capacity to manage the intense storm events of recent years. This increased flooding is attributed to old infrastructure, the design criteria in place at the time of construction, and the impact from climate change.
The project, currently in the design phase, is estimated to cost $3.6 million with the remainder of the cost funded in the FY 2025 CIP budget.
A staff report said the City of Alexandria has received over $6.3 million in Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF) grants, though the report also noted some of that funding could be in jeopardy in the future.
“While there is funding in the program to likely fund Round 6, the administration continues to oppose Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which serves as a funding source for the CFPF (and other programs) through the auction of carbon allowances,” the report said.
The grant application is scheduled to go to the City Council on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
