Flooding is a big problem in Southwest Florida and you can see it on Fowler Street in Fort Myers when there’s heavy rain in the area.
The Florida Department of Transportation told WINK News they are aware of the persistent flooding but aren’t ready to do anything about it.
In 2010, an FDOT analysis said a reconstruction project would provide ultimate drainage improvements, but the projects were put, “on hold.”
WINK News found the project never really started, and in 2022 we’re still dealing with flash flooding on Fowler St.
It’s no secret that Fowler St. in Fort Myers can’t handle downpours, as anyone could tell from Wednesday’s storm.
Looking back into the WINK News archives you can find flooding on Fowler St. dating back to 2008. And when Fowler St. floods cars begin to float. Something that drivers and businesses are not happy about it. One of those businesses on Fowler St. is Tropic Powersports and the owner, Lucille Wilson, is losing money every time it pours.
“When it rains like that nobody’s going to come where they can’t get through,” Wilson said. “Or if it’s going to be a real hindrance to come in. They’re not going to.”
Wilson also watches people get stuck on the street far too often. Her hope is that along with other businesses and drivers for the FDOT, Lee County, and the city of Fort Myers do something.
“I’d like to see where when you when it rains and you go down Fowler St., you’re not sitting in a flood,” Wilson said.
FDOT has records of the flooding dating back to at least 2010, and still when WINK News asked about possible solutions a spokesperson sent a statement saying in part, “no in-depth engineering or design has been conducted at this point to address items such as flooding. Further coordination with the city is still needed at this time.”
WINK News asked the city for its take on the flooding on Fowler St. but nobody got back to us. FDOT said Thursday it plans to set up a meeting with the city and Lee County to move forward. But a county spokesperson said flooding on Fowler St. is not a county issue at all.