PANAMA CITY, Fl. (WMBB) — The neighborhood known as the old section of Forest Park has been around since the 1950s.
Panama City officials have been working on one of the subdivision’s major roads that still had all of the original utilities and drainage systems.
Residents said the work is long overdue. Now that the work is coming to an end, they said they’re relieved.
“I know some people have been inconvenienced more than others, but, you know, life’s full of those little things,” Lindenwood Dr. resident Larry Waltzer said.
The first potholes started showing up on Lindenwood Dr. in 1980. The old water and sewer lines have only gotten worse with age. Panama City officials were supposed to begin work several years ago. Then Hurricane Michael hit. It was the first of several delays.
“There were some supply chain issues at first and we had a very wet spring, very rainy summer as well,” Panama City Public Works Director Jonathan Hayes said. “So that caused some delays. We had to de-conflict some utilities with Florida Power and Light and remember in the middle of that we had to transition from Gulf Power Company to Florida Power and Light.”
Work finally began about a year ago. Hayes said the project was extensive.
“Construction of Lindenwood Drive from Lisenby Avenue to Airport Road involved completely redoing all of the stormwater, all of the water lines, and all of the sewer lines, as well as all the curbs and gutters and a lot of the driveways of the residents that were affected,” Hayes said.
Commissioner Billy Rader represents Forest Park. He said residents have waited a long time for a new road.
“They’ve had to put up with a real inconvenience, you know, for the past couple of years, and it’s not been easy,” Rader said.
Despite the inconveniences, residents said it’s worth the wait.
“I kept saying that it’s going to get better,” Waltzer said. “It’s going to get better, it’s going to get better. It’s worth it. In the end, after saying that for a couple of years, it is. It’s really nice to have it done.”
