A quick fix to the flooding problem on Wildcat drive

Reporter: Maddie Herron Writer: Elyssa Morataya
Published: Updated:
Tons of dirt and rocks are giving people a renewed sense of hope in one community near Lehigh Acres.

Tons of dirt and rocks are giving people a renewed sense of hope in one community near Lehigh Acres.

When it rains, Wildcat Drive floods. Wink News first reported this story a few weeks ago when tropical storm Debby trapped people in their homes.

This private road is one of only two ways out of the Wildcat Farms community in Lee County, but people realize this quick fix is not a permanent solution.



“I go out with a fear that, you know, I could be the next one that is gonna get stuck,” said Wildcat Farms resident Maxwell Lee.

Getting stuck is something that has happened to Lee and many of his neighbors in the past, and they’re tired of it.

As a private road, the county can’t pay for a solution, so it’s up to them.

“That’s the way we all work out here. We help each other out.Try to do the best we can,” said Wildcat Drive resident Don Rainey.

The new plan is to move 42 truckloads, each 18 cubic yards, of dirt and rocks to Wildcat Drive.

Josh Doxtater helped coordinate locking down the new materials.

“I take this road to get out. Everyone does,” said Doxtater. “I get $0 I’ve actually put money up. A lot of people put money up.”

Lee is one of the neighbors who donated equipment, time and money.

As the owner of ‘M&M Lee Farms,’ when he’s not taking care of his crops, roosters, or cats, Lee told WINK News he’s out on his big red tractor, helping spread that new rock.

“We just use our personal track there to help flat, just flat the mob, to prevent, you know, people who got stuck,” said Lee.

In addition to all the rock being spread on the problem areas of the road, this is another way community members tell me they are trying to keep their road safe.

People came out to dig a ditch and create a barrier on the road so that the next time there was heavy rain, this street wouldn’t flood as badly.

Lee said these efforts to fix the road won’t last forever, and to really solve the problem, the community needs to look long-term.

“We realize that it doesn’t matter how much effort, energy and time and money that we dump into the road is coming back the same every time,” said Lee.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.