JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A woman who lives near Edgewood Avenue North near Rockwood Drive said she wants officials to pay more attention to the infrastructure issues when it rains.
RELATED: San Marco residents’ frustrations with flooding continue after heavy rain moves through area
Heavy rains slammed Jacksonville over the last week, causing flooding in multiple areas.
Chaundra Israel recorded cars attempting to drive through the flooding on Edgewood.
“I can go swimming, look at it, this is ridiculous,” Israel said in the video.
The area is dry now, but on Wednesday, parts of the road was flooded and water reached the underside of cars or higher. For reference, that’s about a foot. Now she’s demanding change.
“The flooding that’s been going on for years,” Israel said. “I’m 40 now and I’ve been seeing that since I was a young girl.”
She recalled years ago at a council meeting, someone from her neighborhood complained about the flooding, yet nothing was done.
“It’s so many places in Jacksonville that have floods that don’t get the focus,” Israel said. “They don’t receive the attention that it needs and Edgewood has been one for a while and we never had the proper coverage for people to even know that it floods like that. I’ve seen it on the news one time, but I see San Marco on the news a lot. I feel like our neighborhood is neglected.”
This video was shared with Council Member Tyrona Clark-Murray, who represents the area. She told News4JAX that Edgewood is a state road that is currently being resurfaced.
The footage provided by a traveler was shared with me after 6PM. I went to the site immediately, around 6:30 PM. The water had drained into gutters. However, there was a pool of standing water in front of the Sushi Restaurant on the east side of the road. This is where rain gathers due to the road incline to the north at the corner of Broadway and Edgewood. As a result, that area of the needs an additional drain. I have spoken with FDOT about several state roads that run through District 9 about safety, design, and drainage issues. I have met with FDOT representatives, unfortunately with little to no real change to the existing situations on roads such as: Lane Ave, Timuquana/103rd, Blanding Blvd, and Edgewood Avenue.
Tyrona Clark-Murray, Council Member District 9
Israel said this is a start but wants more.
“We can’t keep sitting in the background complaining, we have to step in and speak up,” Israel said.
She is hoping more people on her side of town gets involved with the community and to reach out to the city and state the next time flooding happens.
Hampton Ray of FDOT said that the department is trying to improve Edgewood Avenue North.
SR 111 between Beaver Street (US 90) and Old Kings Road is currently under construction as part of a resurfacing project. While I am not aware of any drainage concerns related to the project, the project team will have an inspector review the area to ensure positive drainage is occurring and if there are deficiencies, they will be corrected.
While the temporary construction conditions are present throughout the corridor, the Department appreciates the patience of the public while these roadway improvements are taking place.
Hampton Ray, Community Outreach Manager
