Voters to Decide Storm Water Bond

By: Bonney Bowman - Email

Updated: Tue 7:12 AM, Nov 06, 2012

'I think people realize it's really the only source of funding for doing these and we don't want to get behind the curve and have failing infrastructure and have major drainage problems." - Senior Engineer Ben Higgins

There's an issue on the ballot we haven't heard much about - it's the capital city's latest storm water bond issue.

The $7.9 million bond issue on Tuesday's ballot provides funding for a number of locations around the city in need of improvements.

Some are urban drainage projects, like the one in the area of 49th and Rentworth.

Business owners here say the flood waters can reach three feet during a heavy storm.

Other projects are stream stability or watershed management concerns, like at Roper Park.

City engineers say it's less expensive to take care these issues, like erosion, now, before they start to threaten infrastructure.

Senior Engineer Ben Higgins says, 'I think people realize it's really the only source of funding for doing these and we don't want to get behind the curve and have failing infrastructure and have major drainage problems."

The bond would cost the owner of a $150,000 home about $5.40 a year.

Lincoln voters have approved all eight storm drainage bond issues on the ballot since 1990.

Here's a list of locations the city plans to improve:

Roper Park - channel rehabilitation

11th and Harrison area - replacement of structurally insufficient and undersized storm drainage infrastructure to prevent failure and to reduce flooding impacts

8th and Park area - replacement of structurally insufficient and undersized storm drainage infrastructure to prevent failure and to reduce flooding impacts

"J" and "L," 53rd to 55th area - rehabilitation of existing undersized drainage system to reduce flooding impacts

56th and Colfax area - rehabilitation of existing undersized drainage system to reduce flooding impacts

58th and Wilshire area - rehabilitation of existing undersized drainage system to reduce flooding impacts

49th and Rentworth - rehabilitation and extension of existing undersized drainage system to reduce flooding impacts

56th and Morton area - Stream improvement project to reduce flooding impacts

7th and Old Cheney area - Culvert improvements to reduce localized flooding impacts

Miscellaneous repairs - rehabilitation of miscellaneous minor urban drainage systems

Antelope Park - water quality improvement projects in the Antelope Park creek and adjacent areas

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