Drain repairs to prevent future flooding begins on Marco Island

Work begins Thursday on Marco Island to prevent flooding during big summer storms, first focusing on Bald Eagle Drive.

During Southwest Florida’s rainy season, flooding is a common problem on Marco island.

Denise Jefferies owns Bella Florals off Bald Eagle Drive and she has been working around this drainage problem for a long time. The issue stems from two old pipes that collapsed, which are now being repaired.

“It could rain for five minutes and we’ll have five inches of water at the end of the driveway, and it will not drain until the next day,” Jefferies said. “It’s really made it inconvenient. Sometimes when we went to go deliver, we’d have to take a different route.”

But now Jefferies has hope.

Public Works Construction Manager Mike Daniel and his team are working on two projects that will redirect water off the roadway faster during a storm.

“They’re very important to carry the stormwater off the island fast enough to keep water from rising to an actual flood level into a home,” He said, “There are metal pipes that sudden saltwater and they’ve corroded and collapsed over time.”

A second area farther down on Heathwood Drive is also being addressed. There, they will put in larger drains and pipes that will help the entire road drain water faster into the canal.

Daniels said next time a big afternoon storm, tropical storm, or hurricane comes this way, they will be prepared.