Fort Lauderdale launches multi-year stormwater upgrade to reduce flooding in Victoria Park
Fort Lauderdale, Florida – The City of Fort Lauderdale is getting ready to start a big stormwater upgrade in the Victoria Park area. The goal is to make the drainage work better and extend its lifespan. The city is working on this project as part of its ongoing efforts to improve local infrastructure and lower the risk of flooding in residential areas.
The building work is set to start on January 5, 2026, and it should last until early 2028. City officials say that the timeframe could change because of the weather or other things that come up, but the main goal is to finish the work as quickly as possible with as little disturbance to homeowners as feasible.
The project is quite significant. Crews will put in about 43,000 feet of additional stormwater pipe and build 360 drainage structures throughout the neighborhood. A new stormwater pump station will also be built east of Northeast 20th Avenue and Northeast 7th Street. This will add important capacity to help deal with heavy rains. Also, swale sections will be rebuilt to make it easier for water to flow and soak in.
Beyond underground improvements, the project includes significant surface restoration. Driveways and sidewalks that will be damaged by construction will be fixed, pavement will be restored, and trees will be trimmed where necessary to make sure the job can be done safely. City officials say these steps are meant to return streets and properties to a finished condition once each phase of development is completed.
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During the construction time, residents should expect changes in traffic. As contractors travel from one place to another, local streets may sometimes be closed to traffic and sometimes only lanes will be closed. The city will let people know ahead of time about any full closures that will require detours. There will be traffic control workers and properly written detour signs, and people will still be able to get to their houses and driveways during the project.
Drivers should pay attention to the signage and be careful when driving in the area. The city has encouraged people to be patient while personnel work on the construction timeline, which will take several years.
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The city’s website will have updates on the project, including information regarding road closures that will happen in the near future. The city’s infrastructure improvement programs also have more information regarding larger stormwater and resilience projects.
