After more than 30 years, the historic Mid-Higuera Bypass Project in San Luis Obispo is complete. The city celebrated the largest flood-control project in its history along South Higuera Street between Madonna and Marsh in early April.
In 2023, an atmospheric river hit San Luis Obispo, affecting local businesses. The San Luis Obispo creek overflowed its banks, flooding multiple homes and businesses, including Nautical Bean. Flood capacity increased by 40% following the fixes. City officials say the two new channels installed as part of the project will prevent similar flooding in future storms.
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In January 2023, intense storms hit the Central Coast, causing significant flooding across San Luis Obispo County and requiring a shelter-in-place order to be instituted for San Luis Obispo. Cal Poly also cancelled classes for two days.
“We don’t know when we will see another storm event like we did in 2023, but the city made this investment now for the long-term benefit of the area, so that when we do see a storm even like that again, we can lessen the impacts on the surrounding business, residents, and infrastructure,” Mid-Higuera Bypass Project manager Noah Maidrand said.
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Along with the two flood channels, 20-foot-wide channels were created to redirect stormwater, potential bank erosion was addressed and the Bianchi Lane Bridge, which was originally built in 1905, was torn down and rebuilt to accommodate the new channels.
New maple, oak, sycamore and cottonwood trees were added to the area along the creek in place of some non-native vegetation. Several blue gum eucalypti, were removed because they were blocking the creek channels.
Clearing the tunnels was a major focus. “Cape ivy, giant reeds, and blackberry tend to grow densely in creek habitats and can choke out natives and clog up the creek channel with debris,” Maidrand explained.
The city made a concerted effort to preserve most of the native plants, but some had to be removed simply because they were in the way of the new features. Invasive non-native and native plants have now been replaced with California wild roses and other native shrubs.