COLUMBIA, S.C. — A major road in Columbia is closed after heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Debby severely impacted the area. The closure of Shady Lane, which connects to Kilbourne Road, has left residents surprised and concerned.
“It was a big surprise,” said Jared Altus, a resident of Shady Lane. Altus, along with neighbors Bill and Kathy Brumbach, returned home last week to find their street blocked off.
“I tried coming home one day and the road was blocked, and it’s been blocked for now a week,” the Brumbachs said.
The couple noticed water seeping out of a manhole cover on the street during Tropical Storm Debby, signaling a problem they feared might escalate. Many residents in the area recall the severe flooding issues from the 2015 flood and are understandably worried about potential damage.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever see another flood like that—hopefully not—but it did bring back some memories that I did not want to go back upon,” Altus added.
In a statement, the City of Columbia said the road was closed due to sewer issues.
"With the approach of Tropical Storm Debby, on Friday, August 7, one of our smart covers on Shady Lane reported surging flow conditions in our sewer system.
We dispatched a crew to investigate and after CCTV inspection, discovered a collapsed sewer line.
Due to the difficulty of excavation repair, it was decided to replace the sewer line. The line was replaced and the area was prepped for resurfacing between Saturday, August 10, and Tuesday, August 13.
Asphalting has been scheduled and is expected to be completed the week of August 19."
Residents of Shady Lane, while inconvenienced, are relieved to see progress being made.
“It’s nothing major. I see the guy's working,” said Altus.
The Brumbachs echoed this sentiment, saying, “It’s of inconvenience, but we’re certainly happy to see [the work being done].”
Again, asphalting is expected to be completed the week of August 19th.