Meeting on Drainage Plan for 26th to 34th Streets Set for Aug. 4

Barricades block access to Simpson and Haven avenues at 32nd Street in Ocean City — a common precaution in many storms each year. A neighborhood meeting to discuss plans for road and drainage improvements between 26th and 34th streets is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, at the Senior Center in the Ocean City Community Center. Michael Baker International Company has completed a $44,720 study of how best to remediate drainage problems in the low-elevation area bounded by 24th and 34th streets, West Avenue and Bay Avenue. The area sits in a low-lying corridor that includes Haven and Simpson avenues and routinely floods — not only in storms and tidal events, but in heavy rain and even on sunny days (with tidal waters flowing backwards through the storm drain system). Sign up for free breaking news updates from Ocean City. Get Ocean City updates in your Facebook news feed. “Like” us. Baker — the same firm that planned a comprehensive drainage project for Merion Park — has met with the city administration to discuss its recommendations, and the Aug. 4 public meeting will present the plan and solicit feedback from property owners in the new project area. City Council already has appropriated funding for the roads and drainage work in its 2014 road improvement plan. Additional work is included in a bond ordinance that passed on first reading on Thursday (July 23). Council appropriated $1,050,000 for new phases of work in the city's 2015 road and drainage improvement program. See PDF below for complete detail on the $7.9 million 2015 road and drainage plan. [gview file="https://accessglobal.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/siteimports/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Road-improvement-Plan-2015.pdf"]