WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A drainage project meant to make a Wichita neighborhood safer is putting residents on edge.
Residents of Bleckley Street say flooding has plagued the area for decades, but the city’s solution could cost them trees, access to their homes and three years of their lives.
Concerned residents and city leaders met on Wednesday night to discuss next steps. Charles Harris, who lives on Bleckley, said that phase one — repairing the drainage ditch — made sense, but phase two is where he draws a line.
“They’re ready to launch into phase two, which involves cutting down 89 established trees along Bleckley,” he said.
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City leaders say that those trees have to come down to make room for utilities and a sanitary sewer. But neighbors disagree, saying that there are other options, like installing barriers to keep drivers off Bleckley when it floods.
“We think that electric arms on all of the crossing streets would be quite sufficient,” Harris said…