American Rescue Plan Status Report
In March 2021, Congress signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act to deliver relief to families, businesses and government organizations impacted by the pandemic.
Polk County received a $140.8 million appropriation to support urgent COVID-19 response efforts to control the spread of the virus, replace lost public sector revenue, support economic stabilization for the county, and to address necessary investments in water, sewer, stormwater and broadband infrastructure. All funds must be allocated by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.
The county’s ARP Recovery Plan was published on August 31, 2021. It included detailed infrastructure project descriptions, with budgets, for Polk’s use of its appropriation. An update on the status of these projects is outlined below.
ARP Facilities Projects
| Project | Budget | Status | Work in Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replace and upgrade existing HVAC systems in the Administration Building to combat the spread of diseases | $2.5 million | In Progress | Design |
| Provide improvements to Code Enforcement offices for better social distancing | $0.1 million | Completed |
ARP Drainage Projects
| Project | Budget | Status | Work in Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial Lakes Boulevard Phase 1 | $15 million | In Progress | Design |
| South Lake Wales pipe upgrades and retention ponds | $0.7 million | In Progress | |
| Benton Street Drainage Study with design and construction | $0.3 million | In Progress | Design |
| Hamilton and Medulla Road easement acquisition, permitting and pipe upsizing | $0.2 million | In Progress | Design |
| Waynesville Avenue and French Avenue engineering and watershed evaluation and improvements | $0.4 million | In Progress | Design |
| Construct Urband Lane drainage improvements | $0.3 million | In Progress | |
| Carefree Cove Drainage Study with design and construction | $0.3 million | In Progress | Design |
| Palmer Road Drainage Study with design and construction | $0.3 million | In Progress | Design |
| Indian Woods Trails/N Campbell Drive Drainage Study with design, permitting and construction | $0.9 million | In Progress | Design |
| Stonewood Subdivision drainage installation | $0.3 million | In Progress | |
| Removal of sediment on King Boulevard (Frostproof) and piping the drainage system | $0.3 million | In Progress | Design |
| Lake Victoria Outfall Drainage upgraded or alternative system to handle water flows from this area | $2.2 million | In Progress | Design and land acquisition |
| Improve Driftwood Drive infrastructure by properly conveying stormwater to Stanley outfall | $0.5 million | In Progress | Design |
| Replace Fairway Avenue's old drainage system to same size pipes and drainage boxes | $0.5 million | In Progress | Design |
| Armstrong/Pipkin/Old Medulla outfall system constructed to possibly include a retention pond | $0.3 million | In Progress | |
| NW Wahneta drainage replaced with new culverts, inlets and ditches | $1.0 million | In Progress | Design |
| Creekwater Drive cross drain pipes improvements | $0.3 million | In Progress | Design |
ARP Stormwater/Water Quality Projects
| Project | Budget | Status | Work in Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lane Annie restoration and water storage | $2.4 million | In Progress | Design and land acquisition |
| Lave Eva stormwater improvements to restore and treat regional water bodies in the Haines City area | $4.6 million | In Progress | Design |
| Lake Lulu natural areas restoration and stormwater redirection | $1.0 million | In Progress | Design and land acquisition |
| Small scale surface water enhancement and treatment using plans in the Ridge Lakes Study | $1.0 million | In Progress | Design |
| Create a Lena Run natural stream corridor providing stormwater treatment as water moves through the basin | $2.5 million | In Progress | Design |
| Peace Creek Canal water quality, drainage, storage and flood protection in the watershed | $7.3 million | In Progress | Design and land acquisition |
ARP Utilities Projects
| Project | Budget | Status | Work in Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Crooked Lake Park Wastewater infrastructure to replace failing collection and treatment systems | $5.0 million | In Progress | Land/ROW acquisition |
| Briarwood Estates new lift station and force main construction to deliver wastewater from failing package plant to the northwest wastewater treatment facility | $2.0 million | In Progress | Land/ROW acquisition |
| Septage and FOG (fats, oils, grease) receiving facilities at three wastewater treatment facilities | $6.0 million | In Progress | Design |
| Northeast wastewater treatment facility electrical and communication network conversion to a similar configuration at all other facilities in the county's inventor | $11.0 million | In Progress | |
| Polk/Lakeland/Bartow emergency potable water interconnects | $1.5 million | In Progress | Design and land/ROW acquisition |
| Babson Park #1 water production facility construction of a ground storage tank and high-service pump station | $3.0 million | In Progress | |
| Jordan's Grove new reclaimed water storage and re-pump facility | $3.1 million | In Progress | Design |
| Ernie Caldwell Boulevard 20-inch PVC pipe installation | $2.5 million | In Progress | |
| ERUSA receiving facility in the vicinity of Masterpiece and Timberlane Roads | $2.1 million | In Progress | Land/ROW acquisition |
| CRUSA receiving facility that may be used to wheel water from the Southeast Wellfield through the emergency interconnect | $1.5 million | In Progress | Land/ROW acquisition |