Drainage improvements at El Camino Real and Leucadia Boulevard underway

Work is underway on a drainage project aimed at reducing flooding at El Camino Real and Leucadia Boulevard.

Heavy rains have been known to flood the heavily traveled intersection, forcing road closures.

The drainage project is fixing this by creating channel embankments and streambeds, improving the flow of the nearby creek. It’s also restoring native trees and plants in the area.

Another goal of the project is to prevent stagnant water from building up, cutting down on mosquito-breeding spots.

The project began in December and was expected to be completed at the end of January, but it’s likely to finish mid or late February due to recent storms, according to Kipp Hefner, associate civil engineer with the city.

The project is estimated to cost $1,111,483.

The city in 2014 received an $830,430 grant from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for the improvements, according to the contract.

The remaining funding came from a separate county Vector Habitat Remediation Program grant.