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Project hopes to solve flooding issues in Lake Worth Beach

Project expected to begin in October, be completed in November
Flooding in Lake Worth Beach.PNG
Posted at 9:48 PM, Sep 02, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-02 23:55:11-04

LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — City officials are taking action to help alleviate flooding in parts of Lake Worth Beach.

This is along N F Street and Lucerne Avenue, an area known for flooding.

"We've had water that's been standing up to about 12 inches-18 inches in the street," said Roger Bennett who has lived along N F Street for three years.

Bennett said time is of the essence as September is known to be the peak of hurricane season.

"If we have another big category 3 or 4 and heavy rains with 10-20 inches, there's going to be severe flooding," said Bennett.

Neighbors said when there's a storm the roads can be described as a river.

They said water flows down 2nd Avenue, down N F Street and collects along Lucerne Avenue.

"I used to love rain and now every time it rains, I'm like 'oh my god are we going to be okay?,'" said Matt Vought who has lived in Arts Lofts for three and a half years.

The underground exfiltration system will be located along N F Street, closest to Lucerne Avenue.

The project includes the installation of drainage structures and an exfiltration trench that will provide additional drainage capacity for the drainage basin.

Johnson-Davis is the contractor that will be constructing the project.

The project is expected to begin in October and be completed in November.

Johnson-Davis will provide notice to surrounding residents when construction will begin and when the roadway portions will be shut down and any detour and parking adjustments.

The exfiltration trench is said to be 10 feet wide and 6 feet deep.

"I can't say that's not gonna help but I don't know if it will solve the problem," said Matt Vought who lives in the Arts Lofts that have flooded during storms.

While he's thankful for the effort, he said their building foundation was poured too low and their engineers said the issue is a bottleneck along the drainage route.

"The engineering has been done. We have a good start and we've provided that evidence to the city and we don't understand why that's not into more serious consideration."