SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Heavy rain has long meant flooded streets in Midway, a historic community near Sanford. A downpour on Wednesday put Seminole County’s new drainage work to the test.
Streets near Midway Elementary School stayed clear as water ran into the new drainage inlets.
Emory Green Jr., executive director of the Midway Coalition, lives in the neighborhood and has pushed for the fix for years. He said the first phase of the project is nearly done.
“It’s really good, you know, with the rain that’s coming down right now, knowing that this phase one project is well over 90% done, it’s really, really good right now,” Green said.
Green said floodwater used to stay on streets and sidewalks, and children sometimes ended up walking in the road.
“It just became very problematic, so this is a good feeling to know that progress is happening and we’re super excited to see how far we’ve come,” Green said.
Seminole County said in a written statement that the drainage improvements finished in the initial phases are functioning as designed during the current rainfall.
The county said the overall Midway Drainage Improvement Project is split into eight smaller projects. Work near Midway Elementary School and Hughey Street is nearing completion and should wrap up later this year. The retention pond near the school is part of a $2.6 million project.
Work along Beardall Avenue is also underway and is expected to be done in early to mid-2027. The retention pond along Beardall Avenue is part of a $5.5 million project expected to finish in 2027. The county said four more phases will follow.
Green said the work has taken patience.
“The process is slow, it’s methodical, and it’s accountable,” Green said.
Click here to find out more about the project updates.
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