From trolleys to trucks, St. Augustine neighbors speak against cars driving through floodwater
Although Lucia Fernandez’s home was flooded for hours Friday afternoon, it’s not the weather that she blames for the three inches of water that flooded her home.
Because of all the cars driving along her flooded street, which she believes sent ripples of water onto her property.
“I was starting to get really angry and frustrated,” Fernandez said. “I had my umbrella with me and I held out my hand and said, ‘stop! Can you please stop!’ I said.”
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Fernandez told Action News Jax that while his street in Davis Shores was flooded, he saw cars speeding down the street throughout the day; This is part of the northeast that the First Alert Weather Team has been tracking for days.
He said he’s never seen this much flooding on his street from a non-hurricane storm. Hurricanes Ian and Nicole brought several feet of flooding to his home; He said that he now had to experience this again due to flood waters caused by rainy weather.
“I have to do it all over again tomorrow and it’s very frustrating,” Fernandez said.
Action News Jax returns to St. Louis on Friday. It followed many other flooded streets in St. Augustine and complaints about who was plowing them. A viewer sent us a picture of the Old Town Trolley Tour traveling down a flooded street next to city hall.
Her name is Hayley Morland. He says it is normal for trolleybuses to operate in the rain, even in deep water.
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“It takes a lot to keep them from going to the streets,” Morland said, “no matter how deep the water is, they just float right through it.”
Although Morland tells us this is a typical situation, online Old Town Trolley Tours streetcars are not available in St. We have seen many comments opposing employment on flooded streets in St. Augustine. Action News Jax brought this to the city’s attention and was told that from a legal perspective, the city could not prevent the streetcars from running because the roads were open.
We also asked if there were any safety violations or concerns about cars operating in floodwaters. The city told us that every safety rule will be emphasized in the agreement with Old Town Trolley Tours. We requested this document and expect to receive it.
Fernandez thinks that some drivers in his neighborhood do not obey the rules. a recently passed state law The law, which came into force in July, bans vehicles from leaving tracks on flooded streets.
Fernandez now wants the city to get involved.
“There should be signs here saying don’t go into the street if it floods. It’s like I don’t know where people’s brains are and what they’re doing,” Fernandez said.
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