This Funding will Help Alleviate the Significant Flooding that Routinely Occurs Along Otterdale Road

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden today signed into law U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger’s legislation that will provide $1 million to improve drainage along Otterdale Road in Chesterfield County — alleviating the significant flooding that routinely occurs during heavy rainstorms at crossings along the road.

Ongoing flooding at Otterdale Road poses risks to the lives and safety of local residents, impedes commercial business in the area, and puts undue stress on the road infrastructure.

The funding for Chesterfield County — which Spanberger successfully secured as part of a House and Senate-passed fiscal year (FY) 2022 appropriations package — will be used specifically for safety improvements at the Swift Creek crossing.

“For years, I have heard concerns from Chesterfield residents about flooding along Otterdale Road. The drainage improvements made possible through the one-million dollars allocated to this project will keep local residents safe on the roads and sustain this infrastructure for years to come,” said Spanberger. “I am proud to have worked directly with Chesterfield County officials to secure this funding, which was just signed into law by the President. I want to thank our local officials for their leadership, their engagement with my office, and their commitment to the safety of their neighbors — and I am excited to see this funding now go straight to Chesterfield.”

“We are appreciative anytime Congress agrees to help Chesterfield address mounting transportation needs,” said Christopher Winslow, Chairman, Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors. “These funds will assist Chesterfield in bringing positive and long-awaited change along an artery relied upon by thousands of motorists daily while also helping us alleviate a critical public safety challenge when flooding prevents emergency personnel and apparatus access to area homes.”

This project will both benefit all the residents of the surrounding area and allow for safe and unimpeded access for the thousands of vehicles that travel along the road each day, including those which use the road as a primary access point to nearby commercial areas.

BACKGROUND

This year, the U.S. House of Representatives implemented a new effort as part of its annual appropriations process, which allowed for specific Community Project Funding requests — like the Otterdale Road drainage improvement project. Spanberger worked directly with community leaders in all 10 counties of the Seventh District to gather community-focused requests for her submissions. Click here for a full list of her submissions.

The Community Project Funding process was created to ensure that Members of Congress, in concert with the communities they represent, may submit direct applications for federal funding to support locally planned projects as part of the yearly appropriations process.

To be eligible, projects must be sponsored by local or state government entities or non-profit organizations and must be projects that would otherwise meet the qualifications to apply for federal grant funding. The purpose of Community Project Funding is to ensure direct, local engagement as part of the federal appropriations process. In line with this goal, funding applications must demonstrate significant local support for the projects. 

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