TDOT blamed for flooding that traps residents in homes

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By JEREMY FINLEY

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WAVERLY, Tenn. (WSMV) – The chain hanging at the entrance to Charles Gilreath’s driveway is not intended to keep unwanted guests out.

A Humphreys County man said his driveway, which sits over a creek, will collapse because its rock foundation was washed away.

“I don’t want anybody driving down the driveway and her collapsing on them,” Gilreath said.

Gilreath doesn’t blame mother nature: he blames TDOT.

If you watch a home video made by Gilreath’s wife when floodwaters trapped them in their home, you can hear her say, “We’re inundated. Thanks to the state. »

Gilreath neighbor May Anderson lived in her home in 1946 and said her property never flooded until TDOT widened Highway 13 in 2008.

The facade of his property was eaten away by floodwaters.

“It took part of my yard. So it’s more or less a constant worry when they start saying we might have flooding,” Anderson said.

Gilreath said that since the freeway was widened, TDOT has implemented a flood control system in which water flows down the median of the road and is then discharged into the creek in front of their homes.

Gilreath said his property had been flooded five times since 2008, gradually getting worse.

He said the trenches in the ditch in front of their yards are too small and the amount of water has nowhere to go except towards their houses.

The force of the water is responsible for washing away the rocky foundation beneath its driveway.

“I was trapped. I couldn’t drive across because I was afraid it would sweep me into the creek,” Gilreath said.

TDOT has come under similar criticism before.

News4 Investigates found just up the road on Highway 13, TDOT’s management of an overgrown trench and ditch also accused of flooding Paul Turner’s property.

A TDOT spokeswoman told News4 Investigates that the culvert systems cannot keep up with increased rainfall amounts in either case.

“It’s not like they were put there inappropriately, to begin with. They were old and obsolete. (Rain) is too much for the culverts to handle,” said TDOT spokeswoman Rebekah Hammonds.

Zach Bartscherer, a flood expert from flood-prepared communities with the Pew Charitable Trusts, said cities and counties across the country are struggling with increasing rains and old infrastructure.

Bartscherer is meeting with Tennessee lawmakers to urge them to act now.

“It’s a scary trend that we can’t escape. But what we can do is take steps to improve our infrastructure,” Bartscherer said.

But it’s the speed of infrastructure improvement that frustrates neighbors.

In October they complained to TDOT, and the permit to add more culverts is still being assessed.

“What do you say to these owners? Is the message right now that you’re just going to have to sit and wait? asked News4 Survey.

“We could have obtained this permit earlier. Completely understand. But getting the permit approved took longer than expected, and our hands are tied there,” Hammonds said.

Hammonds said they are asking the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conversation to expedite the permit.

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