Vehicles plow through flooded streets in San Marco. | News4Jax
Published on October 6, 2026 at 11:22 am
Free local news and info, in your inbox at 6 a.m. M-F. Sign up for the Jacksonville Today newsletter.
A long-awaited drainage project in San Marco is complete and operating as intended, city officials said, bringing a new pump station and larger stormwater pipes to a neighborhood that has repeatedly flooded during heavy rain.
The LaSalle Street Drainage Improvement Project serves the LaSalle Street Drainage Basin. It includes a new stormwater pump station capable of moving up to 60,000 gallons of water per minute and upgrades to nearly a mile of the surrounding stormwater collection system.
Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
The improvements are designed to reduce flooding during a 50-year, 24-hour rainfall event and help floodwaters recede more quickly during severe tropical weather, officials said.
The work follows years of flooding concerns in San Marco, where streets have flooded, vehicles have stalled and some businesses have reported water reaching their doors during heavy downpours.
The project was completed in phases. The first phase included construction of the pump station between LaSalle Street and the St. Johns River, along with an outfall and upgraded piping. The next phase added larger pipes to carry water from low-lying areas of the neighborhood to the station.
Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
City officials previously said the broader project was expected to improve drainage on LaSalle Street, reduce flooding near the intersection of LaSalle Street and San Marco Boulevard, and strengthen the area’s overall stormwater system. The project was part of an estimated $64 million effort, with $44 million set aside by the city and $20 million provided through state grants.
Officials cautioned that the upgrades are not expected to prevent every instance of flooding. Large amounts of rain falling in a short time can still overwhelm the system, but the larger pumps and pipes are intended to reduce the amount of flooding and help water dissipate faster.
This story was produced by News4Jax, a Jacksonville Today news partner.
