Caltrans project could fix flooding problem on Highway 99 north of Chico

Under the Keefer Slough bridge on Highway 99 - this is what you find dry grass, dirt and pillars.

But during times of rain, it can turn messy.

### new this morning - there is a stretch of road in butte county known for giving drivers a headache& why?

Flooding!

Action news now reporter jafet serrato is live north of chico.& jafet - what's the problem and is there a possible solution?

Julia... i"m here at highway 99 and every big rain event& we see significant flooding here.

Especially between keefer slough bridge and rock creek.

Relief on the way!

Under the keefer slough bridge on highway 99 - this is what you find dry grass, dirt and pillars.

But during times of rain it can turn messy.

(marilyn rees:) "it's dangerous" marilyn rees lives nearby she says when it rains& her home near garner lane gets flooded (rees:) "and unfortunately it goes over the highway and it goes through our fire station and then it goes to the town of nord" (nats: car passing by) a possible solution?

Building a causeway along highway 99... basically - a pathway for water to flow beneat* the road.

(nats) butte county public works director dennis schmidt says the work& is a cal trans project.

(standup: in addition to the causeway being underneath highway 99.

Schmidt says the causeway could be a foot long in measurement.) (nats: firetruck backing up) and neighbors are not the only ones impacted.

(john gaddie:) "it's a recurring problem" captain john gaddie with butte county cal fire& often works from station 41.

(gaddie:) "we've taken measures here at the station to divert the water around the station when the keefer slough or rock creek get inundated by precipitation" but until there i* a solution& rees says when rain comes& she will keep placing sandbags around her home.

(rees:) "sandbag planning comes from the 1900s and this is 2020 we are better than that" schmidt says - if you live in this area - you should consider getting flood insurance.

Live in butte county jafet serrato action news now coverage you can count on!

Action newe now has reached out to cal trans about ths project.

Reps tell us... so far, nothing is definite& but the agency is looking for a way to fund such a project.