CLAYTON, Del.- A well traveled road in town has become a mess of water, cracks and potholes and some are losing patience over finding a solution.
Robert Mench who lives on Greenspring Road highlights the road's quick transformation into a series of lakes even with minimal rainfall, noting it's an ongoing issue beyond recent storms.
"We have never had this much water ever," he said.
Some suspect the issue arises from the pipes underneath the nearby railroad line.
"The water has to go through the railroad in pipes to get the drainage out of here," Mench explained. "Right now, those pipes are clogged."
Velvet Grace, another neighbor, points to poorly maintained tax ditches contributing to the blockage.
Both Mench and Grace said freezing weather exasperates the situation, citing incidents of cars sliding off the road due to the hazardous icy conditions.
"There is no shoulder on the road when you go off the edge you're in a ditch," Mench pointed out.
Efforts to resolve the problem have stalled, with DelDOT, Delmarva Railroad, state and local officials engaged in a blame game, shirking responsibility or citing lack of authority.
DelDOT officials tell WBOC the department will have to look into the issue further to determine the root cause and what can be done about it. Delmarva Railroad did not immediately respond to inquiries.
"Somewhere down the line someone has to take responsibility," Grace insisted. "I didn't put the tax ditches in there."
Mench suggests pumping the water to the other side of the railroad tracks instead of relying on the reportedly clogged pipes. "It doesn't matter whether it goes through it or over the top," but said he's unsure who holds the necessary control or funding to facilitate that.
People on Greenspring Road said they often see railroad employees working to try and clear the pipes, but said despite that work, the water still drains very slowly.
While new pipes could be the ultimate solution, Mench remains skeptical about its feasibility.
