Residents in McAllen felt a sense of relief Wednesday as crews made the final touches on a new 1.7-mile-long drainage canal that will start at Bentsen Road in McAllen.

Engineers say the construction started in McAllen and ended in Mission -- but residents should know water will flow out of Mission and into McAllen.

The canal will stretch from Bentsen Road all the way to Conway Avenue in Mission to mitigate major flooding. 

County commissioners say the expansion of the canal will have a direct impact in collecting flood waters.

"Multiple events have affected the people multiple times,” Hidalgo County Precinct 2 Commissioner Eddie Cantu said. “We think that we've done...adding enough capacity here to finally address their concerns and their needs from flooding."

County officials are considering a hike and bike trail in this area and are in the works of finding funding to make that project happen.

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