BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — Boynton Beach commissioners are facing a growing financial challenge as they work to move forward with a long-awaited drainage project in the Chapel Hill neighborhood.
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WPTV first reported in 2024 on the city’s plans to completely overhaul the neighborhood’s stormwater infrastructure after years of flooding concerns from residents. At the time, city leaders described the project as a major investment aimed at improving drainage and aging road conditions throughout the area.
Now, updated estimates show the project could cost more than $20 million.
“These numbers are based on current bids that we've recently received from other contractors throughout the county,” a project consultant told commissioners during a recent meeting.
To help offset the rising costs, Boynton Beach officials are hoping to secure grant funding. If awarded, a current project timeline estimates construction could begin in May 2028.
Still, city leaders acknowledged there is uncertainty surrounding whether the city will receive outside funding.
“We don't know for sure if we're going to get this grant funding, this is all speculation, this is hopes,” Vice Mayor Thomas Turkin said during the discussion.
Flooding and deteriorating roads have been ongoing concerns for residents in Chapel Hill for years, and commissioners say they do not want the neighborhood to wait any longer for improvements.
As a result, the city is now considering paving roads in the neighborhood before the larger drainage project begins, even if those roads may eventually need to be repaved during construction.
“I would ask for support from my colleagues to move forward with the budget amendment, to come back to us to pave the roads, and then also as we move into the budget discussions, to earmark funding for this,” Turkin said.
Commissioners also discussed the possibility of scaling the project into phases over several years to make the overall cost more manageable.
“I think that's more feasible,” Turkin said.
Funding for the project is expected to be discussed during the city’s next budget cycle as officials continue exploring grant opportunities and long-term funding solutions.
“It’s time to deliver these residents and this neighborhood some type of relief when it comes to their infrastructure,” Turkin said.
City leaders said they will continue determining next steps for the Chapel Hill Drainage Project while pursuing additional funding opportunities.
