Morgan Hill road closures scheduled as Llagas Creek construction enters final phase

Morgan Hill residents should prepare for significant traffic disruptions as Valley Water begins the final phase of the Upper Llagas Creek Flood Protection Project, a long-awaited infrastructure improvement meant to transform the city’s flood management capabilities.

The project, which has been on the books for more than 50 years, will implement extensive flood control measures that city officials say will dramatically reduce flooding risks for local residents and businesses. Hale Avenue will bear the brunt of the construction impacts, with intermittent closures from March 3-April 15, and complete closures planned from April 15 through October 2025.

“We know that the Hale Avenue closure is going to be super impactful,” said Chris Ghione, Assistant City Manager for Public Services. “But once it is done, the benefits will last forever. There will be no more flooding.”

The project’s scope is extensive, addressing chronic flooding issues that have historically plagued Morgan Hill during heavy rain events. 

“The final phase of the project will give flood relief to everyone in Morgan Hill,” Ghione said. “What that means in the real world, is, have you ever run around Morgan Hill when we’ve had big rains like we did last month? You can see how a bunch of the roadways just flood everywhere. Watsonville Road, Main Avenue, Wright Avenue, all of those roadways flood. This project will effectively eliminate all of that.”

The project also offers long-term benefits for homeowners, Ghione said. Once completed, a substantial portion of Morgan Hill west of Llagas Creek will be removed from FEMA flood maps. This change could potentially reduce flood insurance costs for local property owners.

Funded through a combination of federal grants and local property tax bonds, the project represents a collaborative effort between Valley Water and the city of Morgan Hill.

“It originally was a federal project with the Army Corps of Engineers taking the lead, but there was never quite enough funding to make it happen,” Ghione said. “Valley Water really started pushing on this a decade ago now or so and started moving it forward, and they’ve done a really amazing job at getting the funds to make this thing a reality.”

Residents and businesses in the affected areas will receive advance notices about specific work schedules. The city has recommended travelers plan for extra travel time and consider alternative routes during construction.

Once completed, the project will protect Morgan Hill’s urban area from a one-percent flood event (100-year flood) and significantly reduce flooding frequency in surrounding areas.

“It will be a little bit difficult for the coming two years,” Ghione acknowledged, “But after that, it will make a huge difference for us, so we feel it is super important.”

Residents can find more detailed information about the project and associated road closures on the Valley Water website at morganhill.ca.gov/1856/Upper-Llagas-Creek-Flood-Control.

PULLQUOTE

We know that the Hale Avenue closure is going to be super impactful. But once it is done, the benefits will last forever. There will be no more flooding. – Chris Ghione