Heavy rain and the usual street flooding - June 2008

Lewis Avenue just north of Laskey was flooded, too. I don't think it has curbs or storm sewers there. That part of Lewis has the appearance of the post World War II era.

This afternoon, a storm dumped heavy rain and some hail in southern and eastern Lucas County and northern Wood County.

The Skywarn network is busy. Some reports between 4:25 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. :

• Curb-to-curb flooding on Broadway by the Toledo Zoo
• Curb-to-curb flooding on Broadway by Walbridge Park, along with two-inch branches snapped off.
• Curb-to-curb flooding on Broadway at Prowdy? [spelling]
• Anthony Wayne Trail at Copeland, three outbound lanes are flooded.
• At Dorr and Detroit, all four lanes of Dorr are flooded curb-to-curb.
• In Maumee at Michigan and Crystal [?spelling] roads, ponding of water, two to four-inch limbs down.
• Washington Towhship and I-75, wind gust of 48 mph.
• 45 mph wind gust in Oregon along with near zero visibility.
• Most wind gusts being reported range from 40 to 45 mph.
• Report from Oregon said 1.5 inches of rain fell in 30 minutes.
• Pea-sized hail in Oregon.
• 44 mph wind gust and nickel-sized hail on Tracy Road. Not sure where exactly.
• Channel 13 transmitter in Oregon on backup power.
• Near zero visibility reported as storm crossed Oregon Road by Ownes Community College.
• Interesting skywarn report said an Owens Corning building had water on the first floor, likely due to wind blowing rain into building through door.
• Measured 61 mph wind gust in Attica, Ohio in Seneca County.
• Two three-foot in diameter live trees down in Attica.
• At 1343 Miami Street, large billboard toppled over, two cars damaged.
• Also on Miami Street near I-75 exit, curb-to-curb flooding, water 12-18 inches deep.

Anthon

They're man made rivers posing as streets. Urban planning with a devilish grin or a slight lack of competency.

Wait this burg was a swamp at one time? Pave that shhhhhhhhhhiip.

As more and more land gets paved over flooding will correspondingly worsen. There is less land able to soak up the water. Sewers are far behind the pace in the ability to handle the runoff. Tha's why you are starting to hear about "rain gardens" and permeable pavement for parking lots.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permeable_paving

From the "Councilman Tom Waniewski Newsletter - July 2008" with my emphasis added :

These areas flooded multiple times in 2006, at least once in 2007, and now once or twice thus far in 2008. And no money has been available for the past three budgets to resolve the problem. I bet if Waniewski asked the mayor for a bike path, money for such a project would be made available.

From two years ago, June 16, 2006 Blade story :

The South Toledo bike path did not happen. One was constructed, however, in East Toledo, and I believe a bike path is being built now in Point Place. Anyway, Toledo had $800,000 for bike paths two years ago.

"The city has no money I'm told."

I think the City of Toledo is still considering the idea of using taxpayer money to pay COSI's bills until November when or if another COSI levy is on the ballot.

June 24, 2008 Toledo Blade story :

If the City has no money, why is this COSI idea even mentioned?

Back in January, Toledo City Council voted to use taxpayer dollars to fund the Erie Street Market for four more months. And then in May, Toledo City Council voted to fund the Erie Street Market for the rest of 2008. Waniewski voted FOR funding the Erie Street Market both times.

But the City has no money. Good thing the City of Toledo is continuing the illegal city tax (trash fee) for a second year.

July 2, 2008 Toledo Blade story :

"The city has no money I'm told."

"The city has no money I'm told."

"The city has no money I'm told."

July 2, 2008 WSPD story about last night's Toledo City Council meeting :

June 26, 2008 Thurber's Thoughts blog posting about this proposed "sale" :

"The city has no money I'm told." - District 5 Toledo City Councilman Tom Waniewski in his July 2008 newsletter

From the Lucas County AREIS Web site about the former South Branch Library property :

Zoning Description: Storefront Commercial
Owner : TOLEDO CITY OF , A MUNICIP AL CORP
Address : 1638 BROADWAY ST TOLEDO OH 43609

Summary - Taxes & Values

100% Values
Land : 8,900
Building : 204,600
Total : 213,500

Last Val. Chg. : 11/15/2006

More heavy rains this evening, and the street flooding in West Toledo appears worse than last week. I made a quick drive around the neighborhood between 10:05 and 10:20 p.m. I kept my distance, however, at the flooded areas at Sylvania Ave and Buell Rd and on Douglas near Carlita's restaurant. I got close-up looks at the other areas. Too close on Garrison. Made a quick turn from another side street and didn't see the water until it was wooshing up the side of the car.

The water at Sylvania and Drummond is over the curb, over the sidewalk, and into the Autozone parking lot some. The flooding at Elmhurst and Eastbrook and on Castleton by Elmhurst Elementary covers a larger area than last week. And I ran into flooding in two areas on nearby Garrison, which is another side street.

Nobody tonight was driving through the flooding at Sylvania and Drummond. All traffic was routing through the Autozone/Fresh Market/Family Dollar parking lot, which itself contained a small pond in one area that both "lanes" of traffic were dodging. Makes for interesting driving at night.

A Skywarn observer reported street flooding in numerous spots on Summit Street between Point Place and I-280.

National Weather Service as of 10:22 PM EDT on July 02, 2008

The urban and small stream flood advisory remains in effect until
100 am EDT for Lucas and northern wood counties...

At 1022 PM EDT Doppler was showing some showers and thunderstorms
but they were weakening.

Additional rainfall amounts of half an inch or less is possible in
the advisory area. Some locations in Lucas County received around 2
inches of rain this evening and near Sylvania over 2.5 inches of
rain was reported in a few hours. As of 10 PM the Toledo Express
Airport had around an inch and a half of rain.

Moderate to heavy rain falling again in West Toledo at 10:50 p.m. All this rain keeps the flowers and lawn looking good.

Once again, very heavy rains rolled through the Toledo area. Today's mid-afternoon storms caused some street flooding in the usual West Toledo spots.

Castleton Ave by Elmhurst Elementary

Sylvania Ave and Drummond by the Auto Zone store.

Other nearby side streets like Garrison and Elmhurst had curb-to-curb flooding, but none of it seemed as bad as the previous two weeks, but it's still raining some.