JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Southside residents credited road engineering issues as the reason that they have been dealing with flooding issues for over 10 years — even when there are no signs of rain or storms.
Residents along Helm Drive, which is located behind Julington Creek, in the Del Rio neighborhood, have dealt with water constantly filling the street and receding for years.
“We want a waterfront, but not waterfront,” Bart Byrd said.
The flooding, which reaches calf-height on dry days, has transformed daily life for residents. One neighbor constructed a deck just to access their home, while others struggle with basic services.
“They won’t pick up our trash. We have to actually carry the cans through the water up to dry land if you want to get your trash,” said Carmen Woods, who moved to the neighborhood months ago. “The mail has stopped. She won’t come at all. Packages won’t be delivered.”
Byrd pointed to road construction as the source of their troubles.
Southside residents living along Helm Drive are sick of dealing with constant flooding on the road despite little rain (WJXT)
“We never had this issue,” Byrd said. “When they came in and paved, the engineers did not do the excavation correctly and lowered the road down below river level. And then they come in and put in culverts that are below river level, and it’s bringing all the water from the river or any overflow into our street and driveways.”
Byrd also worried that the standing water posed significant health risks to residents.
“You have the runoff from all the septic systems that are mingling with this water, and it stands here stagnant, creating mosquito growth, other health hazards for our animals, and for young children,” Byrd explained.
The persistent flooding has affected property values and sales in the neighborhood. One resident, Christa, recently removed her house from the market due to the conditions.
“We can’t have anybody come in and see,” she said, with Byrd adding, “It’s hard to have an open house when you have to boat in.”
While residents acknowledged living in a flood zone, they emphasized this isn’t typical coastal flooding.
“We know we’re in a flood zone. We know we’re in an evacuation zone. Our house is on stilts, so there are things that we knew, purchasing a home on the water,” Woods said. “But this isn’t related to a storm. If this were from a hurricane, we wouldn’t be doing this story.”
News4JAX reached out to the city about this ongoing situation. We did not immediately hear back.
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