BRADENTON, Fla. (WFLA) – Residents living in Bradenton’s Village of the Arts neighborhood say flooding is a constant concern during the summer storm season.
Last weekend, the residential street looked more like a stream after less than an hour of rainfall. Residents shared a number of photos and videos with 8 On Your Side showing the impact on their neighborhood — including trash bins and vehicles submerged in rainwater.
The flooding is nothing new for those living in the neighborhood. It’s something Lynn Walker says she’s been dealing with for a number of years.
“I used to love to listen to the rain on my tin roof until my first incident of flooding,” said Walker. “I had water coming in through my front door, my back door and actually through the side of my house. It was so deep.”
Walker says she has raised concerns to the city for years but hasn’t seen any results so far.
“I don’t really see a change. I have been promised projects to be done that would help and it just has not,” said Walker.
Bradenton’s Director of Public Works and Utilities Jim McLellan tells 8 On Your Side the city is working on two projects that will improve drainage in the historic neighborhood — one to the south and one to the north.
“The south is part of a $2 million project that is being cooperatively funded by Southwest Florida Water Management District and, as a matter of fact, we just opened the bids on it today. So that will be going to city council for approval in July to get the construction going on that. It will intercept a portion of the flow that is contributing to that area from the south and take it a different direction,” said McLellan.
He says the project to the north will also divert rainwater before it reaches the low point of the village, which is where Walker and others have been experiencing the flooding on a regular basis. There are also plans to raise storm water inlets steps away from Walker’s home.
Residents are skeptical of the plans.
“When I see it happen, that is when I will believe it because they don’t have a good track record with me right now,” said Walker.
The city says the first project is expected to be complete sometime this summer. They’re currently accepting bids for the larger project to the south of the historic neighborhood.
