DETROIT – A Detroit street is drained after two weeks of flooding problems.
During a bitter cold snap on Monday, Jan. 15, Martindale Street was frozen solid with flood water.
Cars were stuck and frozen in the ice, and neighbors were upset.
Two weeks later, neighbors called Local 4, saying the ice had melted on the street, but it was still flooded.
“Do something about this, get this stuff fixed,” said resident Rodney Barnes. “We want our roads back.”
Barnes said the residents’ complaints and calls to the city went unanswered.
Local 4 contacted the Detroit Water and Sewage Department, and a crew was immediately sent out.
After hours of work Thursday (Feb. 1) evening, the street was drained.
“If a basin line is simply blocked or if there is debris, we can take care of that, but we need to figure out what the root cause is,” said Detroit Water and Sewage Department COO Sam Smalley.
When asked why it took two weeks to get a crew to drain the road, Smalley said they must prioritize responses.
“We have to prioritize things, and unfortunately, I’d rather have some water on the street than in someone’s basement,” Smalley said.