Was it a 100-year storm or a two-year storm?

If part of the problem is debris-blocked drains, why isn’t someone clearing them regularly and particularly if a lot of rain is expected?

Is it a design flaw or the inevitable result of building a highway through a creek valley?

All valid questions. And we need answers when it comes to the flooding of the Red Hill Valley Parkway.

We also need a consistent message from the city and clear communication when the waters rise.

The parkway flooded last week for the fourth time in less than a year. The Spectator’s Paul Morse reported that the water turned the multi-lane road into a wild water ride with vehicles crashing and drivers hydroplaning into ditches.

Intense rain caused flooding in other areas as well; the Kenilworth Avenue North underpass, for example, was also awash. But the Red Hill Valley Parkway is too recently designed and constructed for such intense flooding to be acceptable.

The mayor, rightly, wants explanations from city engineers. Councillor Terry Whitehead, not surprisingly, wants an outside agency to review design issues. The city, somewhat belatedly, acknowledges it needs to review its response to incidents of flooding.

So we will likely get at least some answers. But when?

One of the significant elements that’s lacking is a sense of urgency on the part of the city in dealing with the myriad of questions surrounding the apparent inability of the stormwater retention ponds to keep water off the parkway. This is not simply an inconvenience for motorists; it’s a very dangerous situation.

In terms of messaging, the city must do much better. Off the top, blaming climate change for the floods is just plain goofy. It also doesn’t help fix the problem. As well, the mayor and senior city staff must be on the same page when it comes to responding to the flood conditions. It’s always a good idea to think before one speaks and to make sure anyone commenting on an issue has complete and up-to-date information. Otherwise, everyone looks out of touch.

What is the backup plan for handling such floods in the Red Hill Valley? Why aren’t all the players — the city, the police, the conservation authority — co-ordinating the response to flooding? Is it possible they are, but we can’t tell? If that’s the case, the co-ordination is clearly inadequate.

What measures can the city take to alleviate the flooding issue short of redesigning the parkway? If blocked drains contribute to the problem, clear them out. Reasonably accurate weather information is available; as heavy rainfall approaches, those drains should be a high priority for attention. The same goes for closing the parkway to traffic as soon as there’s a threat of flooding. Certainly that’s inconvenient, but most drivers would prefer a detour to a ditch.

Hamiltonians deserve clear, timely information and a stronger sense that the city is working to solve this dangerous problem.

via TheSpec.com – Opinions – Red Hill needs answers, action.