One of the new rain gardens, which is designed to filter storm water runoff, is installed at Gary Lane and Klinger Road.
Public Works and Transportation, in partnership with Water Utilities, has nearly completed a $4.2 million project to reduce neighborhood flooding and improve streets, water mains and sanitary sewer systems along a section of Perkins Road in West Arlington.
The Laguna Vista Drainage Improvements project, which began in September 2016, aims to provide flood protection for a 100-year storm event. During the project planning phase, the City identified at least eight properties in the hilly Lake Arlington area that were experiencing repetitive flood losses. In addition to mitigating poor drainage, the City also repaved most of Perkins Road between Arbor Valley Drive and Gary Lane, repaved sections of four nearby residential streets and replaced water mains and sanitary sewer lines.
As part of the drainage improvements, the City transformed sections of the open ditches on Earle Street and on Gary Lane into"rain gardens." These drainage features, which include low-maintenance landscaping, are made of layers of gravel, engineered soil and river rocks and are designed to help filter storm water runoff before it reaches Lake Arlington through the storm drain system. These two rain gardens are the first to be built as part of a City of Arlington Public Works drainage improvement project.
The Laguna Vista project, paid for by the storm water utility fund and water and sewer bonds, aligns with the Arlington City Council priority to Champion Great Neighborhoods.
In all, the project included more than 10,000 square yards of paving, 500 linear feet of sanitary sewer replacements, and 4,300 linear feet of water main upgrades. Built by Ark Contracting Services, LLC, the project was originally expected complete by July 2017. However, the project experienced several delays because of underground utility conflicts, additional repairs to existing water lines, and an extension of the paving. Despite the delays, the project will be completed within budget.
Champion Great Neighborhoods, Stormwater
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