Miami receives $6.3 million grant to address flooding issues

MIAMI, Ok. (KOAM) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency through Oklahoma Emergency Management is helping to address flooding issues in Miami with a new grant.

The $6.3 million grant is the largest the city has ever received. The city will match the grant with $600,000 towards the grant's projects.

City officials will use the money for hazard mitigation projects in five different flood prone areas in Miami. Their aim is to prevent future road closures due to roadway flooding, and the selected areas are direct routes in and out of the city.

An announcement ceremony was held on one of the most affected bridges in the city, where local and state officials celebrated the steps towards improvements in Miami.

"This is a $6.3 million grant to raise some bridges and approaches around Miami, some critically important areas to Miami travel, economic development wise and also just people that live here and people from out of town that are traveling through," says Tyler Clyne, Miami City Manager.

The project is expected to take three years to complete from design to finish.

The prospect of addressing flood issues throughout Miami is something that makes residents hopeful, as many have been experiencing the struggle for decades.

"My grandmother is one of those that has lived in a house that has flooded multiple times. And I actually currently live in a house and it's on the 500 year flood plain," says Caitlyn Baker, a Miami resident.

Flooding is something Baker not only expects, but that she fears every time it rains.

"I'm always worried about getting stuck in my house because of the flooding. I never know what's going to happen. And same with my grandmother. Whenever her house floods or even whenever it rains a lot, I mean literally PTSD," says Baker. "It is so overwhelming because you just don't know how much it's going to flood this time."

The flooding issues span across Miami, with streets and even homes and businesses known to regularly fill with water.

"Every time it floods in our area, we've become an island because these roads go under water," says Miami Mayor Bless Parker. "And, you know, it's a state agency that's flooding us. And they kind of hold us hostage."

The city is engaged in a lengthy battle with Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA ), who Mayor Parker says is responsible for many of Miami's flooding issues.

A log jam in April that caused flooding sparked more outcries about the impact on the city. Officials hope the grant for road improvements in flood prone areas is a step in the right direction.

"This is us kind of breaking free of those shackles with this grant, allowing us to open up our roads and make things be able to flow around our community," says Parker.

Miami officials say when the city's key roadways do flood, it makes it difficult for the community to function.

"I'm getting stuck to where I can't go from one side of town to the other unless I go way outside of my normal. And I mean, that costs me way more gas. You're using your car more. And with how everything is right now, I mean, that's really hard on someone's paycheck," says Baker.

The flooding is even making it difficult to bring new businesses into the city.

"A lot of people say, hey, you're the town of floods. I can't bring my business there because I won't be able to get traffic through town with floods," says Parker. "So this will give me that stop gap that we need so the floods won't hold us prisoner anymore."

For residents like Baker, she's excited for what the future might hold.

"It literally changes people's lives," says Baker. "So I'm hoping this will change for the better and that we can trust in our leadership in Miami, that they're going to take care of us and they're going to push for us."

City officials say they are continuing to look for ways to address flooding issues as they continue their legal battle with the GRDA.

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