In the neighborhood of Loma Portal, San Diego's work crews have just ticked off another mark on their to-do list, finishing an infrastructure project designed to keep residents' feet and floors dry, Inside San Diego reports. The Willow Street Project was not just about new pipes, key though they are, but also the installation of ADA-compliant curb ramps, along with some necessary repairs to sidewalks and a bit of street resurfacing for good measure after replacing those vital yet unseen elements of civic functioning, the storm pipes themselves formed of corroding metal now giving way to more resilient reinforced concrete.
This kind of work may fly under the radar, but the importance can't be overstated, especially when the rainy season rolls around and the streets, often choking on water, now might breathe a bit easier thanks to new drain inlets designed to improve—well, not just the street's breathing but also water capture, which will certainly help in reducing surface flooding, these improvements make a notable difference for the community. "The improvements on Willow Street are part of our ongoing commitment to modernize San Diego’s stormwater system and maintain safe, reliable drainage infrastructure in our communities," said Stormwater Department Director Todd Snyder via Inside San Diego.
Funding, however, remains the elephant in the room—or perhaps more aptly, the drain yet unclogged. As Inside San Diego detailed, snagging the necessary federal and state assistance through grants and loans has been a puzzle partly solved, but the larger picture for San Diego's stormwater system modernization requires a financial input that is currently not flowing as freely as one would hope "much of the City’s stormwater infrastructure is hidden from view but is crucial to preventing floods and maintaining water quality," Snyder noted, reflecting on the vast network that lies beneath and its future needs.
