Project Information

Background

As part of the City of Tampa’s Stormwater Improvement Program, the Lower Peninsula Stormwater Improvements Regional System Design-Build project is a much-needed capital improvements project aimed at alleviating flooding within the City’s stormwater improvement area.
 
The project consists of design and construction of a major stormwater conveyance system that includes more than 8,000 linear feet of box culvert, pipes, and drainage inlets. An aesthetically pleasing pond will be developed to provide water quality treatment prior to stormwater being discharged through a new outfall to Hillsborough Bay. State-of-the-art green infrastructure solutions will also be incorporated to reduce the discharge of nutrients, oils and greases, and floating debris into Hillsborough Bay.
 

The project will also include improvements to the City’s 48-acre
environmental property acquisition, known as MacDill 48 Park, located off MacDill Avenue just south of Interbay Boulevard. The property was originally purchased in 2002 through the Environmental Lands Acquisition Protection Program (ELAPP) administered by Hillsborough County to protect and preserve the property. Subsequently, the City took ownership and control of the property and with this project will now enhance the diverse environmental habitat it contains, provide for passive park activities, reduce the hazard of brush fires, and provide for water quality treatment of stormwater runoff.

The aesthetically pleasing pond will be strategically placed in the central lower lands within the MacDill 48 Park property to enhance habitat diversity and provide needed water quality improvements. The City is taking extreme care in its enhancements of the property and is working with environmental specialists, the Florida Communities Trust (FCT), Hillsborough County’s ELAPP General Committee and the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) to ensure the design preserves the Park’s diverse habitat and saves as many trees as possible.

The use of MacDill 48 Park will allow the City to maximize flooding relief and enhance water quality within the Lower Peninsula Southeast Watershed. It will also fulfill a required element of the City’s agreement with FCT to rehydrate the wetlands, restore onsite habitat and provide a high-level of water quality treatment to improve the quality of the stormwater entering Hillsborough Bay.

The map of the MacDill 48 site shows the preliminary design concept of the regional pond layout, pending final data collection, regulatory agency requirements and public input.

Our team will work closely with ELAPP, the Florida Conservatory Trust (FCT), the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department, and environmental specialists to ensure the design saves as many trees as possible.

Current Activities

Construction on S. Himes Avenue is nearing completion, with restoration efforts currently underway along S. Himes Avenue from Interbay Boulevard to W. Paxton Avenue, and on W. Bay Avenue to S. Sterling Avenue. To accommodate these activities, S. Himes Avenue and W. Bay Avenue will remain closed within the work zone, along with driveways and intersections within the active construction areas. This work is expected to be completed by mid-June 2025, weather permitting.

Construction Progress