Heavy rainfall has made travel difficult in parts of Port St. Lucie, where flash flooding has left some residents stranded and made roads challenging to navigate.
Scott Samples, the city’s communications manager, said the flooding is particularly problematic in areas where infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with development.
“The way that it was developed, infrastructure was lacking. So there are some areas where we've had to try to retrofit infrastructure and some of these areas where we see some of the water accumulate in short periods of time. We know that those are some of the areas where we need to try to do some work,” he said.
One such trouble spot is the intersection of Savona Boulevard and California Boulevard, where heavy rain can leave the roadway submerged.
The city is working on a nearby project at Oak Hammock that could incorporate several measures to reduce flooding in the area, Samples said.
“That could include everything from new retention ponds to pumps to make sure that canals don't backflow to raising the intersection at California and Savona,” he said. “There are a number of different things that could take place as a result of this project that should help to mitigate that. And we have a couple of large projects like that across the city that are planned.”
The city is also addressing drainage needs as it makes road improvements funded through the half-cent sales tax, Samples said.
While longer-term infrastructure projects are in development, the city’s Public Works Department is testing technology designed to help crews identify developing flood conditions more quickly.
“We've actually started a pilot program with some water sensors that can tell us if water is rising in a certain area, how fast, and that will allow us to respond quickly with our Public Works teams or to have the police department able to get out and divert traffic,” he said.
About half a dozen sensors have been installed across the city. If the pilot program proves effective, the city could expand the system with additional sensors, Samples said.
In the meantime, Samples urges residents to take precautions when encountering flooded roadways.
“When these do occur, we do try to encourage people to be safe. Trying to find alternate routes first and foremost. We try to stop people from being able to use certain roads if it's underwater,” he said.
Preventing water from entering homes and other buildings remains the city's primary concern.
“What we also have to understand is that our ultimate goal is to try to make sure that the flooding doesn't get inside of houses, it doesn't get inside of buildings. And so to a certain degree, the roadway is one of those barriers that helps to prevent flooding from getting up into a house or into a building, which is obviously significantly worse than just having some water on the road for a short period of time,” he said.
As rainfall continues, city staff will remain on standby to respond to potential flooding as it develops.