Pico Rivera residents report flooding on Mines Avenue bike lane; council hears requests for plan

Several Pico Rivera residents urged the City Council on Jan. 28 to address water pooling in the newly constructed Mines Avenue bike lane, saying light rain already left standing water that blocks access to driveways and sidewalks.

The concern arose during the public-comment portion of the meeting when resident Victor Lopez said water “collects in front of our house” after a recent rain and that the standing water can prevent safe crossing with children. Stephen Diaz, speaking for a neighbor, said the lane flooded after a light rain and pressed the council for an advance plan, not just a “wait and see” approach.

The comments prompted council members and staff to note they have received photographs and social-media reports. City staff and residents said photos posted to a local Facebook group document the issue; a written comment from Paul Morcos on the same topic was submitted to the council.

Councilmember Laura and other members described follow-up conversations with public-works staff. Councilmember Laura said she inspected the corridor and observed that in some locations the new drainage and pavement appear to be working, and that puddling sometimes dissipated within about 20 minutes in the neighborhood report she reviewed. She also acknowledged residents’ safety concerns and said staff are continuing to evaluate the situation.

Public works staff (referenced by residents and councilmembers) said they have photographs of standing water taken roughly 20 minutes after the rain and are reviewing flow patterns in alleys and adjacent streets to identify where runoff is entering the bike lane. No formal engineering fix was approved at the meeting; councilmembers and staff said additional study and potential repairs will be considered as funding and priorities allow.

At the meeting, councilmembers noted longer-term constraints including restricted grant funding and current capital project priorities. Public-works staff later provided an estimate for full road reconstruction of roughly $2.5 million to $3 million per mile, which councilmembers cited when discussing potential costs of major repairs.

Residents asked the council for interim mitigation and a communications plan to notify neighbors when flooding is likely. Staff and councilmembers said the city accepts reports through its Virtual City Hall app (launched 2022) and via emergency lines, and encouraged residents to submit photos and geocoded locations for staff tracking. No formal motion or vote was taken on a specific repair at the meeting.

The council and staff said they will continue to collect evidence, investigate runoff paths (including flows toward Manzanar), and return to the council with recommendations if corrective work is needed and funding is identified.