Simmons Branch Drainage Improvements

Phase 2 - Structural Repairs

Updated: Apr 2, 2025

Simmons Branch Under Construction

Raleigh Stormwater completed previous stormwater improvements in Spring 2020 on Swift Drive and Pineview Drive that reduced street and home flooding for several properties. We are now repairing the rock wall structure that lines Simmons Branch.

Project Details

Type:: Stormwater
Budget:: $14,000
Project Lead:: Stormwater Management
Contractors:: Dewberry (Design)

Construction began early April 2025 and will be completed by Summer 2025.

Construction Details

The City is dedicated to minimizing impacts to you during construction. Work hours will be Monday - Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with no work scheduled on the weekend, except in an emergency or with prior approval from the City. You will be notified if such schedule changes need to take place. Beluca, LLC will be the general contractor performing the work. The City will have an inspector onsite daily.

Currently, we do not anticipate needing to close the road to through traffic. We anticipate some flagging and light traffic control for operations such as materials/equipment mobilization and concrete placement. Local traffic (residents within the work zone) will have access to their driveways and will be able to come and go as needed. Please don’t park on the street within and near the construction area for the duration of construction.

We finished Phase 1 in Spring 2020 and are currently working on Phase 2, which includes structural repairs.

Pipes

Relocated more than 2,000 feet of water and sewer pipes that were in the way of the stormwater system.
Installed a larger stormwater concrete box culvert that carries water along Swift Drive. We replaced the 728-foot-long box culvert that was too small and failing.
Installed two 10’x6’ concrete box culverts on Pineview Drive that can handle eight inches of rain over 24 hours without causing water to go over the road. The old system could only handle four inches of rain in that timeframe.

Stream

Built walls in the stream to protect front yards along Swift Drive.
Stabilized the stream channel.
This prevents erosion, protects streambanks, and reduces impacts to yards.

Benefits

The new system can handle more stormwater, which:

Stops flooding on Swift Drive during smaller storms and reduces the severity of flooding for larger storms;
Reduces flooding upstream of Pineview Drive by several feet;
Reduces how often homes and driveways flood on Pineview Drive and Swift Drive; and,
Allows water to flow more easily to Walnut Creek and the Neuse River leading to less erosion and water pollution.