WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida lawmakers are once again asking the state to help pay for drainage improvements to Australian Avenue, a throughway to and from downtown West Palm Beach known for flooding.
Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed $742,000 to fix the problem last June, along with more than $500 million in state spending. This year, we learned about $430,000 is in the state’s budget for the project, which WPTV has tracked since October 2023.
WATCH: Neighbors waiting years for flood relief
The issue leads to homes, like the one belonging to Marion Hawkins, seeing water come up to their doors and leaving debris in their yards on a consistent basis.
She said she calls the road “Lake Australian Avenue” because it constantly floods when it rains and there’s no drainage on the street.
“These cars going southbound, they couldn’t even tell where the lane was,” Hawkins said. “The water, rainwater, comes all the way up to my driveway and my yard and leaves this debris.”
She said she wants government officials to fix the problem, but she doesn’t think people are aware of the problems.
“See how bad this street gets,” Hawkins said. “That’s what needs to be done. But you don’t see no official come out here talking to the neighbors in the neighborhood.”
Palm Beach County has had a plan to fix the street since at least November 2023. Then, county officials listened to a group of about 50 people at Gaines Park Community Center criticize their plan to fix the drainage problem on Australian Avenue, which officials said about 25,000 to 30,000 cars travel every day between 45th Street and Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard.
Officials said the new project will add a sidewalk along the water treatment facility, reconstruct a larger median to county safety standards and create a "refuge" area for left-turning vehicles.
They argued this would stop flooding because it would create more space for pipes underground. But some residents were concerned the plan would increase speeding because one travel lane would grow in size.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Residents say road is 'complete disaster' during flooding
"Australian Avenue is supposed to be 35 miles per hour," Mika said. "But they don't go 35. Usually, traffic is about 40, 50, 60. Widening the road is only going to make people go faster."
The project will also remove about 60 trees, which protects properties from cars traveling off the road. Unlike last year, when Rep. Jervonte Edmonds (D) sponsored the appropriations request, Rep. John Snyder (R) is sponsoring the appropriations request this time for the estimated $65 million project.
A spokesperson for the governor’s office didn’t respond to our questions about their intentions to possibly veto the request.
WPTV heard from other people Thursday about flooding in downtown West Palm Beach, like on Flagler Drive.
The West Palm Beach Fire Department said it performed a rescue for a stalled car in the area on Thursday. Kay Joy, a city spokesperson, said the city is “proactively” investing in stormwater infrastructure and drainage improvements. She said the flooding from yesterday was the result of annually heavy rainfall, which can temporarily exceed the capacity of drainage infrastructure and lead to brief periods of storm flooding.
“The City’s stormwater system is designed to manage typical rainfall conditions; however, during significant rainfall events, temporary ponding may occur while runoff moves through the system,” she wrote. These conditions are generally short-lived and recede as weather conditions improve. The City continues to proactively invest in stormwater infrastructure and drainage improvements as part of our broader capital program, with an emphasis on increasing system capacity, strengthening system resilience, and reducing flooding impacts in vulnerable areas.”
She recommended residents report flooding concerns through the WPB Key app so city teams can respond, assess conditions and prioritize improvements when needed.
FULL STATEMENT FROM THE CITY:
The City of West Palm Beach is actively addressing flooding concerns along North Flagler Drive between 33rd Street and 36th Street through the N Flagler Drive Utility Improvement Project, a major infrastructure improvement project currently under construction. This project is specifically designed to mitigate the historic flooding that occurs during heavy rain events in this area. Improvements include enhanced stormwater drainage, replacement of aging potable water, and sanitary sewer infrastructure. The City is investing approximately $6 million in critical utility infrastructure as part of this effort. Construction is currently underway, with completion anticipated in early 2027.
Palm Beach County has a project planned for Australian Ave that covers from Banyan Blvd. to 45th St. to improve the drainage infrastructure to mitigate the existing flooding conditions. This project is expected to go out to bid in the next few months and start construction later this year. Any other questions regarding this would need to be directed to the County.
Additionally, the City is currently updating the Stormwater Master Plan, which will outline the projects recommended for near-, mid-, and long-term implementation. This comprehensive planning effort will guide future improvements citywide. The plan will be finalized in the summer 2026 and will identify the strategies and capital projects needed to address drainage challenges throughout the City.
In addition, the City is advancing two major resilience initiatives – the Waterfront Adaptation Plan and the Citywide Adaptation Plan – both funded through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. As these plans move forward, they will include public-outreach activities designed to gather community input and ensure that project recommendations reflect resident and stakeholder feedback. Together, these planning efforts will identify strategies and capital projects that enhance resilience, address drainage concerns, and prepare the City for future climate-related challenges.
