SEAFORD, DE — Almost six months after the installation of a gate on Magnolia Drive in Seaford, residents of the Belle Ayre neighborhood find themselves facing a new concern. The gate, implemented to address speeding issues, now poses challenges during heavy storms, particularly with one exit prone to flooding.
The community now relies on a single exit, a road that frequently floods during severe weather.
Residents, like Brandon Ruff, who commutes early in the morning, says it's been a major issue during storms,
"It's dark outside, and the flooding was so bad it just looked like a swimming pool with the only exit I have," said Ruff.
He says the gate needs to be unlocked during weather events,
"We only have one exit out of the neighborhood, in and out, which is not good. We have another street available to us, which is not open because a couple of people decided to speed down it. It's not right or fair; it's honestly a huge mess," added Ruff.
Seaford City Manager Charles Anderson says that the city is actively working on solutions to mitigate flooding issues. Measures include the temporary removal of filter bags from storm drains, clearing excess leaves, and having an emergency response team on standby. If flooding becomes severe, he says the city will unlock the gate.
However, residents like Roxanne Knight and Robin Varette, who have been petitioning for the complete removal of the gate, say the it is another example of the gate causing a safety hazard, and Belle Ayre residents paying the price,
"It's really dangerous, having the flooding come up that high for cars to go through. You can't judge what height the water is; it's dark, continuously raining and flooding, and we don't have an alternate way out of here," said Knight.
