Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 23, 1990 TAG: 9005230443
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"It's about time the city addressed this problem so that businesses in downtown Roanoke don't have to deal with water in their stores every time it rains hard," said Ted Moomaw, president of World Travel Service.
Water was several inches deep in some spots inside his travel agency located across the street from Center in the Square when Moomaw arrived at work Tuesday morning. He said the office has flooded several times in the last few years.
Damage was minimal this time, Moomaw said, but he estimated the cost of renting cleanup equipment and sandbags in preparation for future flash floods at about $800.
Moomaw and other downtown business owners are upset with city officials, who they contend have not responded to their complaints about the water problems.
"The people down here pay taxes just like everybody else and they're entitled to something," Moomaw said.
The city's storm drainage system currently cannot handle heavy rain in brief periods of time, often causing Campbell Avenue to become a shallow river.
"I know the city wants this area to grow," said Bonnie Jackson, co-owner of the Patina boutique. "That's why I don't understand why they don't fix the situation."
Judging from a muddy waterline left on her store's floorboards, Jackson estimated that nearly 6 inches of water flooded the business. The water caused several thousand dollars worth of damage, she said.
Other businesses that flooded included Milan Brothers, Mish Mish, a foyer of the Dominion Bank building, Southern Pawn Shop, Orvis and Orvis Factory Outlet, the Roanoke Weiner Stand and the Campbell Court building.
Mish Mish manager John Coles took the flooding in stride, pointing out that drainage in large urban centers is often a problem.
"I wouldn't say that we're upset. I mean what can you do to stop it from raining?" Coles said.
City officials said Tuesday that a new downtown storm drainage line under Luck Avenue will help relieve the flooding problem along Williamson Road.
The $1 million line would divert some of the runoff that now flows into the Williamson Road line. However, it will likely be several years before the project is completed.
But even then, the storm drainage system won't be foolproof, according to Bill Clark, city director of public works.
Meanwhile, Clark didn't have any temporary solutions to offer downtown business owners. If there is heavy rain, he said, then it could continue to exceed the system's capacity.
by CNB