BRYANT, Ark. (KTHV) - In one Bryant neighborhood, a rainy day may mean flooding for homeowners. Bryant Mayor Jill Dabbs said there are a lot of residential areas that flood. They’ve been working to fix this problem, section by section, for years.
“It’ll start flooding real bad in the intersections. It backs up cars real bad,” Spencer Sullivan, who lives in Bryant's Stoneybrook subdivision, said.
He said rain collects in a huge puddle.
“You have to drive through about, two miles per hour usually,” Sullivan said.
Another neighbor said she puts rocks around her home to keep water out.
“You’ll always see a trashcan floating on by like a little ‘ol boat,” Sullivan said.
But the city has a plan to fix the drainage problem.
“If we couldn’t have access to these types of grants it would be very difficult for us with our local budgets, with our local monies to address some of these larger projects,” Mayor Dabbs said.
Sullivan says it’s good news.
“It would definitely be very beneficial I’m happy to hear about it,” Sullivan said.
But, there’s more work to be done.
“The city of Bryant has a stormwater plan so that we can ensure our growth and development doesn’t have a negative impact on existing homes or the neighborhoods that are going in,” Mayor Dabbs said.
In the last three years, the city has completed 14 stormwater projects.
“Putting in adequate stormwater infrastructure so that when we have rains like we’re having this week property owners can rest assured that their properties are going to be protected from stormwater and they don’t have that fear,” Mayor Dabbs said.
The stormwater manager is also educating private property owners about keeping ditches clear and properly placing fences. The Stoneybrook project is expected to be finished in the next four months.