Highway 288 flooded again and drivers weren't happy: 'You could fish out here!'
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston drivers were stranded Monday as wet weather caused a major headache on Highway 288, which recently underwent major construction.
Lanes became full of water, stranded motorists and prompted police to shut down the highway in both directions at one point. The water caused back-ups and delays as drivers were forced to exit and use feeder roads.
Some drivers thought flooding on Highway 288 was a thing of the past, but they were quickly given a harsh reminder.
"It looks like a lake," said driver Lisa Devaughn on Monday. "It's crazy out here. You could fish out here. This is crazy!"
Drive 288 was a more than $800 million construction project aimed to improve about 10 miles of road and connectors. It will also add an express way and improve drainage in the area. As showers scattered throughout the Houston area on Monday, some drivers didn't feel like they got their money's worth.
READ ALSO: SH-288 blocked for 'safety purposes' at I-610 due to pavement failure
"Wasting money," a driver told ABC13. "My good money, taxpayer's money. You know how hard I worked for that money?"
Some believe the flooding issue is hurting people's ability to make money and get to work.
READ ALSO: Harris County and Houston left out of $1 billion in flood mitigation aid
"I thought they were fixing it," said Devaughn. "They were working on it forever. This looks like a lake out here. I'm trying to get to work. I need my job. Everybody is just now going to work from the COVID. I need my job."
After the express lanes opened last fall, the company behind the construction project, Blueridge Transportation Group, told ABC13 it improved drainage to help mitigate flooding.
Eyewitness News reached out to the company's spokesperson on Monday. A spokesperson issued the following statement:
"At the present time we have determined that all of our pumps were operational during the rain event. However, we have also identified that there is a blockage that was preventing the water to drain from the roadway to the pump station. Our team is working diligently to clear the blockage so that the water can drain as designed."
