New material, Flexi-Pave, may help Pinellas County flooding

LARGO, Fla. - We had an unusually wet year across the bay area. The heavy rainfall caused flooding in many communities and one man says the high water has been swallowing parts of his property for years.

But a new material may be the perfect fix for his problem.
    
Gloomy days make Thomas Lane, of Largo, nervous. Lane said, "I don't like to see it rain, and when it's cloudy out, we just have to wait and see how much damage it's going to make."

Lane says his property, on Indian Rocks Road, has been flooding for the past seven years and twice a week, during the rainy season.

The high water runs into his garage and living room. He put up a small wall to block it, but it didn't do much. Lane said, "It helps a little bit, but when you get six inches of water, it goes over the wall and that's not good."

The water runs downhill from the street to his property. Lane said, "You know you can't get any help. You call people. They don't want to know nothing, which isn't good for me."

To help ease Lane's water woes, Pinellas County's Stormwater Division hired workers to lay down new pavement, called Flexi-Pave, on part of his driveway. It's a combination of rubber from recycled tires, stones and glue. Crews say when it floods, the water will filter through the material into an underground pipe, then flow into this drainage ditch.

Glen Brooks, with K.B. Industries, is working on the project. Brooks said, "When water hits it, gravity takes over and it drains through it. It's more porous than your yard."

The concept is a big relief for Lane, but he says only time will tell if the $5,000 county project is worth the investment.

County officials say they will use Flexi-Pave on other projects across the county like repairing train tracks and putting it by fence lines to stop loose weeds from growing. If you would like more information about the pilot project, you can call Pinellas County's Stormwater Division.