Fort Worth: No 'Silver Bullet' For Arlington Heights' Flooding Problems

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Arlington Heights neighbors, many still drying out from last week's flood, packed a community meeting Wednesday night where the city asked for patience.

The west Fort Worth neighborhood has a long history of flooding.

Last Tuesday's flooding was one of the worst in recent years. Flood waters swept cars down the street.  Several homes flooded - some with as much as 18 inches of water inside.

Dave Hermann said ever since he moved to the neighborhood 19 years ago, he's been told the city would fix the drainage problem.

He's still waiting.

"We've gathered signatures for petitions.  We've tried to do what we can, and it's only been in the last few years that they've gotten serious about it and actually got a plan," he said.

Wednesday night, the city laid out that plan to a room full of frustrated neighbors.

The city told them there's no "silver bullet" to the old neighborhood's flooding issue but that it has started installing underground drainage detention vaults that will help.

Work has already begun on Ashland Avenue.  Others streets in the neighborhood will be next.

"Do I have confidence it is going to save us from the next event? No," said Kenneth Kirkwood, who lives on Western Avenue. "This won't be done for two more years."

After last week's flood, Kirkwood and his pregnant wife were forced to move out of their home.

It will be weeks before all the damage is repaired.

"We can't afford to do this again," he said. "Not in six month. Not in two years. This is just horrible."

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Latest News:

Top Trending:

• PHOTOS: Your Pet Pictures