JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The top of a downtown storm drain is secure now, but that was not always the case.
A viewer sent us a picture this week of a car tire stuck in the hole after the top came up. It took an hour and a half to get it out.
“If it rains hard and quick, it's inevitable. It happens all the time,” Matt Appleby said.
Appleby and his co-workers at First Baptist Church have a clear view of the hole. It’s on Beaver Street, in between Hogan and Laura streets. When rain is in the forecast, they're really concerned.
“When it floods, the water comes up over the road. It's really hard to see where that hole is, so it's a hazard for cars going in,” Appleby said.
Appleby said they've tried to get help, but no one has fixed the problem yet. On Monday, Action News Jax got the plea to get involved.
Initially the drain was thought to be JEA’s responsibility. It's not.
JEA sent us to the city of Jacksonville, but they said it's not their jurisdiction either. We found out the Florida Department of Transportation has to come to the rescue.
After we did some digging, DOT issued an emergency work order for the hole. We’re told it's now a high priority.
That's music to Appleby's ears.
“If it goes unchecked, it's just going to cause problems."
WJAX
