SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — One of the city’s many storm drain channels runs under the railroad tracks at Imperial Avenue and Merlin Drive. It’s covered with plants and trash.
“This is something that’s just common sense,” said mayoral candidate Larry Turner. ” We’ve gotta get this taken care of or we’re going to have another January 22nd.”
On Wednesday, mayoral candidate Larry Turner continued his campaign push. Turner used this storm channel as an opportunity to remind San Diego voters of the January 22nd flooding. Heavy rain overflowed storm drains, causing destruction across southeast San Diego. Since then, the city cleared more than a hundred tons of debris from those channels, but Turner says it’s too little too late.
“We’ve got these mature palm trees, dozens of them for the next 50 feet down here,” Turner said. “This is what’s blocking the water in our stormwater systems.”
In July, I reported on a similar issue at the storm channel near Southcrest Trails Park. Residents complained that overgrown plants would prevent the drainage of stormwater. After our reporting, city crews cleared that area in September and a representative told me they had a plan in place for repeat maintenance.
“Mayor Gloria let’s start with you- did the city fail by not clearing storm drains and culverts prior to the storm?”
ABC10News anchor Kimberly Hunt brought this issue to Mayor Todd Gloria more recently during our mayoral debate.
“I recognize this is work that needs to be ongoing,” Gloria said.
Gloria defended the city’s response, touting seven million dollars he secured for the housing commission to assist victims of the January 22nd flooding.
“The storm drains in those communities requires us to make a multi-generational investment in that neighborhood,” Gloria said.
He says a large part of $700 million in federal funds will go toward stormwater infrastructure in those neighborhoods. But Turner claims there are still a handful of channels that remain untouched.