The city of Fort Worth has spent millions of dollars on the flooding problem in the Arlington Heights neighborhood, but the same area flooded again on Sunday.
"It just does not work," said homeowner Ken Kirkwood of the city's efforts after floodwaters pushed right up to his front door.
Kirkwood, his wife and three-year-old son live on Western Avenue – a street that has experienced flooding for years.
"This property has flooded every year for the last five years," he said. "How many times have I been through this? The cleanup? At least a dozen times."
He said more than a dozen of his neighbors are in the same boat.
The neighborhood is just north of Interstate 30 and Hulen Street, not far from Arlington Heights High School.
The intersection just west of the school also frequently floods.
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The city has made expensive improvements to the drainage system in the area and even built a sunken park that doubles as a retention pond.
"I can't tell you how badly I feel for them," said Fort Worth City Councilman Dennis Shingleton, who represents the area. "We just can't seem to get on top of it to mitigate the worst condition."
Kirkwood said he sees just one long-term solution.
"Buy us out," he said. "Take the home down. I don't believe in kicking the can down the road."
Shingleton says the city hasn't given up trying to find an answer but doesn't have a blank check either.
"I think we've mitigated it somewhat," Shingleton said. "But Mother Nature has a challenge for us when she pours two to three inches an hour on the street. It's pretty tough."
The city estimates it could cost $80 million to protect Arlington Heights in the long-term. But even then, a flood could happen once every 100 years.
