Construction is coming soon to an area near downtown Brownsville. It's an effort to prevent future flooding and sinkholes.

Crews will replace an existing storm drain near Old Military Highway and west 18th Street with a much larger one. It's expected to run straight down to a pump station.

The city says the current line has shown signs of possible collapsing because sinkholes have formed above ground.

City commissioners approved the use of $1.4 million from the state in order to hire a company to do the construction.

Brownsville City Engineer Carlos Lastra says this part of town has seen flooding in the past.

"Whenever we get a heavy rains, water seems to accumulate and this will help alleviate some of that flooding that accumulates in this neighborhood of west Brownsville," Lastra said.

The new storm drain will have more capacity than the one currently in the ground.

Work is expected to begin late next month, and the project will also include new paving and sidewalk improvements.

The city says there's already a portion of a drainage line beneath a bike lane and crews are not expected to dig up.

City officials say construction is expected to wrap-up by June 2025.