Resident Blames Highway For Flooding

An Owasso man says rain isn't the only reason for flooding at his business. He says recent construction on Highway 20 is to blame.

The News On 6's Steve Berg reports for the 10 years he's been there, Alan Brown says his property always drained fine. But he says that was before they raised Highway 20 by five feet.

"Soon as we saw the plans that they were going to raise the road four to five feet in elevation, we were concerned," said Brown.

Brown says Highway 20, just east of Highway 169, used to be even with his parking lot. Now it's noticeably higher. You can probably guess where the water goes.

"We have a little duck pond in the backyard now," said Brown.

Brown says it never flooded back there before the highway was elevated. He says it's illegal for someone to alter the natural flow on a neighbor's property.

"I know it's illegal for me, and I don't believe that the government can do it either," said Brown. "As the building has progressed, we could just see that more and more water was becoming a problem."

He says he's been in contact with ODOT's consultants from the beginning. Initially he says, they had plans to fix the problem, but he says they're telling him now that they won't be able to and he doesn't have many options.

"Well, it looks like I have to sue them," said Brown.

Brown says other property owners along the same stretch of Highway 20 are having the same problem. He says he doesn't know what they plan to do, but he says they're not happy.