TAMPA, Fla. — A recently built additional lane for drivers near a Tampa elementary school may be creating an altogether different headache for area residents: increased flooding and poor rainwater drainage on sidewalks leading to the school.
- Engineers added additional lane this summer
- Ways to increase drainage under consideration but would not be complete until 2021
- More Hillsborough County stories
Near Mary Bryant Elementary, drivers are enjoying the convenience of an additional lane installed by county engineers this past summer. But that convenience could be coming at the cost of another problem.
"When I came out and saw the flooding, the first thing I thought, 'I'm not going to be able to walk my children to school,' because literally we would have to walk in the road in order to get around the flooding," said parent Ronetta Gilmore.
Hillsborough County spokesman Chris Wilkerson said the increased flooding is because of a nearby wetland and has nothing to do with the new lane.
However, while there's been flooding on the sidewalk in the past, residents say it's gotten worse since the summer construction project.
"This is the first time that I've ever seen this much flooding where we're not able to walk on the sidewalk at all," Gilmore said.
It's a mess that could not only impact the nearby elementary school, but walkers from Farnell Middle School, as well.
Gilmore believes the roadwork is to blame.
"I think that was something that wasn't thought of, and that's okay, we all make mistakes, but it certainly needs to be corrected," Gilmore said.
County engineers have already been considering ways to improve the drainage, but those improvements would not be completed until 2021.
After we contacted the county, Wilkerson said they will send a consultant to take a look at the problem.
Parents just hope there is some sort of fix by the first day of school.