CAPE CORAL, Fla. — On Wednesday, Cape Coral Public works Director, Mike Ilczyszyn said the city is working to fix the flooding issues families are experiencing on Hancock Bridge Parkway.
Homeowners like Rafael Rodriguez, who lives on that street said it's an issue he is very familiar with.
“Five minutes of hard raining, it's full of water in the street,” said Rodriguez.
On Wednesday, as storms loomed in the distance, pools from previous storms with sidewalks covered in muddy run-off- reminded Rodriguez of what may come.
“The water comes up to here,” said Rodriguez as he pointed to the middle of his driveway.
Rodriguez said that when Hancock Bridge Parkway floods, cars driving by push water into his driveway, and sometimes it even reaches the front of his home.
He said that is why he has sandbags lining the entrance to his garage, saying flood water has leaked inside in the past.
“Yes the first time it happened to me I didn't notice,” said Rodriguez.
A problem Cape Coral Public Works Director Mike Ilczyszyn said the city hopes to fix with a drainage improvement project.
“Public Works survey staff has been out on the streets surveying the elevations of the roadway the elevations of the catch basin all the utilities in the area that information was sent over to the design team. The design team will begin running some mock models and then what they are going to do is come back to us with three alternatives to help alleviate the flooding in that area," said Ilczyszyn.
Ilczyszyn said that the engineering firm they hired is 3 months from finalizing 3 options that the city will choose from to fix the flooding.
“Our goal ultimately, is when we have a typical rain event in the rainy season that water will be able to drain at the rate that the rain is falling,” said Ilczyszyn.
After describing the conditions and showing Ilczyszyn how Rodriguez's front yard floods, we asked if that was an instance where people should alert the city.
“Ya absolutely we always encourage residents to use our 311 system,” said Ilczyszyn.
A report of 311 calls obtained by Fox 4 from the city shows Rodriguez did contact the city about flooding several times.
“Nobody from the city has come to see me,” said Rodriguez.
Ilczyszyn said they do send crews out to survey the problem and calls like that are what led to this project’s launch back in May.
A possible solution Rodriguez hopes comes sooner than later
“Very important because it floods,” said Rodriguez.
Flooding is an issue we have seen in other areas of Cape Coral.
On Wednesday, Ilczyszyn said so far, the city has replaced 10,000 linear feet of old stormwater pipes.
