A flood-prone area of Peoria will be moving into a second phase of infrastructure improvements that are expected to remedy future damage.
The Peoria City Council approved a $1.2 million contract with Markham Contracting Feb. 4 to complete the project area bounded by Hatfield Road on the north, Pinnacle Peak Road on the south, 67th Avenue on the east and New River on the west.
Development and Engineering Director Adina Lund said this area is heavily impacted by historic flows from the north at Hatfield Road and from the east at 67th Avenue near Mariposa Grande. Offsite flows have caused significant drainage issues resulting in moderate to severe damage to many of the properties in the area and created hazardous conditions for residents and motorists. The near term drainage improvements were divided into two phases.
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A flood-prone area of Peoria will be moving into a second phase of infrastructure improvements that are expected to remedy future damage.
The Peoria City Council approved a $1.2 million contract with Markham Contracting Feb. 4 to complete the project area bounded by Hatfield Road on the north, Pinnacle Peak Road on the south, 67th Avenue on the east and New River on the west.
Development and Engineering Director Adina Lund said this area is heavily impacted by historic flows from the north at Hatfield Road and from the east at 67th Avenue near Mariposa Grande. Offsite flows have caused significant drainage issues resulting in moderate to severe damage to many of the properties in the area and created hazardous conditions for residents and motorists. The near term drainage improvements were divided into two phases.
Councilwoman Bridget Binsbacher said the project is a step moving in the right direction, and a great example of the power of the people asking for support from their city and Peoria taking the lead.
“I cannot really stress enough how Peoria has stepped up and taken the lead in solutions for these citizens. They have reached out to us repeatedly and we have responded,” she said. “Every time it rains it seems we have demands on the police department out there and we have demands on the engineering department and public works. And I’ve seen pictures of horses belly-deep as a result of what appears to the rest of us as a nice rain.”
Phase 1 is expected to officially be completed this month. Phase 2 is expected to begin this month and be completed by fall.
It will include a second storm water management basin at 67th Avenue and Hatfield Road and landscape improvements for the recently completed retention basin at 70th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road. These improvements will help alleviate flooding during the smaller intensity storms.
Phase 1 improvements included a storm drain pipe in Pinnacle Peak Road, reconstruction of local intersections that experience frequent flooding, new curb and gutter along local streets to redirect storm water, and a new retention basin at 70th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road.
Ms. Lund said the improvements are intended to help alleviate flooding issues during smaller intensity storms by redirecting flows and providing positive drainage outfalls.
This portion of the project had some hiccups along the way, she said.
“And by hiccups I mean the weather,” she said. “So we had a very dry summer and a dry fall, but then at the beginning of November we had storm after storm. That really impacted the completion. We just recently completed and the final walk through is Feb. 13.”
These improvements combined with drainage improvements in the area 67th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road Regional planned for fiscal years 2022 and 2023 will ultimately provide 100-year storm protection for this area.
Philip Haldiman can be reached at 623-876-3697, phaldiman@newszap.com, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.
Meet Philip Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.
Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater.
Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.
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