COLUMBIA, S.C. — Northeast Columbia residents say Killian Loop Road regularly floods if inches of rain fall in the area.
One resident says part of the problem is runoff. With a creek on both sides, it easily overflows, leaving the water nowhere to go but to stay on the road. But the water also collects on nearby roads, as well.
"When this road floods, it basically locks down EMS, any fire departments that need to assist us for any kind of medical attention we need or any situation that arises, and we’ve been dealing with this exact situation for years," says resident David Strother.
"Kind of makes you feel helpless," says Larry Lowman, a neighbor who has lived in the area his entire life. "I’m 71 and my next door neighbor is 82 and everyone is concerned if we have to get an ambulance in here, you can’t."
The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is responsible for Killian Loop.
"Our response has always been the same when it comes to stormwater management," says Tony Magwood, SCDOT Resident Maintenance engineer. "If an area is where roadways cross creeks, bridges, and that’s all over the state, and of course there are everything from culverts to pipes to bridges. Those areas are extremely important to us, and we take care of the responsibility to make sure they are repaired in short order and we will continue to do so."
SCDOT engineers have been out in the area assessing the roadway in the past several days. When WLTX reached out for a comment or when road work might begin to solve the problem, no answer was provided.