St. Pete Beach tackles aging infrastructure as flooding worsens

ST PETE BEACH, Fla. — St. Pete Beach is moving forward with a multi-year project to replace aging drainage pipes — some more than 100 years old — as flooding continues to affect major roadways and neighborhoods.

Residents say the situation has become increasingly frustrating. David Nixon, who has lived in the beachfront community for 25 years, says flooding has grown worse.

“They need to dig up the whole system,” he said, noting he has seen 4 to 6 inches of sea level rise in recent years. “It’s just a mess the way they set this up.”

City officials acknowledge the problem and say work is already underway. Commissioner Betty Rzewnicki, who represents District 3, says parts of the project have already been completed along Pass-a-Grille Way, while planning for other neighborhoods is finished.

“This is a multi-year project,” Rzewnicki said. “By the beginning of next year, we’ll have bids going out and work moving forward. People don’t see it until there’s a mess on the streets and construction begins, but progress has already been made in phases.”

The upgrades include new pipes, outflow valves, and other infrastructure improvements. Rzewnicki says she understands residents’ frustrations but asks for patience as the city works through the process.

For Nixon, however, the delays remain difficult. “They should have been in here before the season, hurricanes, and get this done,” he said.

The project will be completed in phases, and the overall cost has not yet been determined.