South Florida continues to dry out after heavy rain this week, but some areas are still dealing with standing water and it's starting to impact businesses.
Jonathan Perque is the president of Bullet Motorsports on Ravenswood Road. They sell classic and niche market cars online, but the cars he needs to showcase on their website are stuck in storage on Southwest 31st Street until the water goes down.
"We have to hire a tow truck to pull it out, and that's almost $300 a move and that's not feasible,” Perque said. "It's really detrimental to all the businesses around here."
Perque said he lost $75,000 during the historic flooding in April, and now, he could lose another $50,000.
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"Essentially, my business is shut down,” Perque said.
Kim Sweers, the owner of FB Marine Group, is also hurting due to the flooding.
"You can't have clients here, you can't have your employees here and it really is a challenge,” Sweers said. "It puts a screeching halt to our business."
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The businesses are next to the I-95/I-595 interchange and business owners believe the reason why there's so much water is because of the expansion project the Florida Department of Transportation is working on.
"It doesn't go anywhere because this is all dirt that is clogging the drain,” Perque said.
"The interstate was built up and this embankment causes the rain to have nowhere to go,” Sweers said.
Perque says he also brought his concerns to Dania Beach Mayor A.J. Ryan IV.
“We express deep concern over the flooding challenges impacting businesses in the Ravenswood area adjacent to I-595. The flooding, near an ongoing FDOT project, has caused disruptions to local businesses, and the city is committed to finding swift solutions," Ryan said in a statement to NBC6. "We understand the gravity of the situation and the impact it's having on our local businesses. The collaboration with FDOT is crucial to finding effective solutions that will not only alleviate the current concerns but also prevent such issues in the future and to safeguard the economic vitality of the area."
Ryan said city leaders will be meeting with FDOT to address the issue.
"We encourage open communication between all stakeholders involved and emphasize the commitment to a comprehensive and timely resolution," Ryan said. "Updates on the progress of the meeting and proposed solutions will be shared with the business area as soon as they become available.”
Business owners say something needs to change sooner, rather than later.
"We need to put a group or workforce together and get this problem resolved,” Sweers said.
"No one's working, none of the employees are here, this is closed right because they can't get to work,” Perque said.
FDOT District Four Communications Manager Guillermo Canedo addressed Fort Lauderdale's record rainfall in a statement to NBC6 and that the expansion, which includes additional drainage ponds, is intended to improve the flooding in the area along Southwest 31st Street.
"The Roadway contractor installed four pumps to help mitigate the flooding in the area surrounding SW 31st Street. This specific business owner has voiced his concern with the Department sodding the right of way and installing a fence where he previously used the State-owned right of way to store boats and operate his business," Canedo said in a statement in part. "Many areas in Broward County were severely flooded on Wednesday night 11/15 and the Department has been working with the affected communities and municipalities to help pump impacted areas."
Trucks with the City of Dania Beach began the process of pumping water out on Southwest 31st Street Friday evening. Crews said they hope to be complete by the end of the weekend.
