AUSTIN, Texas — A flood-prone part of South Austin is about to get a multimillion-dollar upgrade to reduce the risk of flooding.
It’s a $7.5 million project called the “Annie Street Flood Risk Reduction.” It will be done in a 50-acre area that runs north and south between Annie and Live Oak streets.
"We have over 6,000 linear feet of new storm drain that's going in," said Janae Spence, an assistant director with the Watershed Protection Department. "We have aging infrastructure in the area. Some of it is over 100 years old and not able to withstand the capacity.
Residents in the area have documented the numerous times their homes have flooded. Keith Mahon, who lives on Mary Street, detailed the devastating Halloween floods that happened in 2015.
"It would just come down ... It was remarkable how much came down the street. A river literally was coming through our house. When it hit almost 2 feet at the front door, you are thinking river," Mahon said.
According to Mahon, the damage was so bad to his home that he had to rebuild.
"It was all molded," Mahon said. "The whole first floor was molded. It was in real bad shape."
Mahon credited the city for making some improvements since then, but the roads still flood. He's glad more improvements are coming.
"It’s great, we are going to stay dry in the rain. That’s the excitement," Mahon said. "This has been a big issue for myself ... probably some of the neighbors behind me. Once that gets taken care of we will feel safe."
Construction is set to begin in fall of 2025 and will take up to two years to complete.