SLO County to get $2.2 million for path extension and stormwater drainage
San Luis Obispo County will soon receive more than $2.2 million in federal funding to go toward two local infrastructure projects.
The money will be used to make improvements to the shared use path on Shell Beach Road and to repair the stormwater system in Morro Bay, according to a news release from Rep. Salud Carbajal.
“Securing these federal investments is about strengthening the everyday safety and quality of life for residents across San Luis Obispo County,” Carbajal said in the release. “Extending the Shell Beach shared use path will give residents and visitors a safer, more accessible way to move along our coastline, while Morro Bay’s storm‑drain upgrades will help protect homes and businesses from the kind of devastating flooding we’ve seen in recent years.”
The San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, or SLOCOG, will be awarded $2 million to expand the shared use path north by two miles so that it reaches the intersection of Shell Beach Road and Avila Beach Drive.
The planned path extension will connect the new roundabout at the Avila Beach Drive and Highway 101 intersection to Pismo Beach and other parts of southern SLO County, according to Pete Rodgers, SLOCOG’s executive director.
The path extension will make travel safer for bicyclists and pedestrians, as well as strengthen access to local services and trailheads along the corridor, the release said.
Morro Bay to get storm drain upgrades
Morro Bay was awarded $250,000 in federal funds to fix its stormwater system, reroute lines and build new storm drains, the release said.
The city’s infrastructure failed to move water out of flood zones after intense storms swept through Morro Bay’s Main Street and residential corridor in 2023.
The federal funds will be used to help strengthen the city’s resiliency against future strong storms, according to the release.
“This funding is vital for maintaining and improving our storm drainage system, which is essential to protecting our community from flooding and ensuring the safety of our residence,” Morro Bay Mayor Carla Wixom said in the release. “We are incredibly thankful for Congressman Carbajal‘s continued advocacy for Morro Bay.”
The infrastructure funding was recently signed into law as part of the federal government’s annual appropriations process, according to the release.
