Street flooding makes commute difficult for Galveston drivers

GALVESTON, Texas - Galveston drivers had to navigate around floodwaters throughout the day Wednesday as heavy rain bands from Tropical Storm Imelda hit the island.

Floodwaters covered swaths of roadway along Broadway Street where businesses had sand bags piled at their entrances and barricades were set up at intersections preventing drivers from turning onto flooded side roads.

“Bad storm, man—it ain’t looking to good,” said Keylan Mosley as he drove his work truck through floodwaters on Harborside Drive. “If you driving in a smaller vehicle, you ain’t gonna make it. In trucks you barely making it.”

Others were seen going to work on foot.

“I live on 37th Street,” said Roy Cabello. “It’s flooded. I had to kind of wade my way through here.”​​​​​​​

Some Popeyes employees were seen taking their shoes off and wading into work as floodwaters surrounded the restaurant on Broadway Street.

“It’s a mess,” said Popeyes manager Crystal Hardeman. “We had to walk all the way from back there through here.... We didn’t get dressed until we got into Popeyes...but Popeyes is open—drive through only.”​​​​​​​

City officials warned drivers that they could get a ticket if they drive faster than 5 miles per hour on flooded roads.

“We don’t want cars pushing wake into homes or businesses,” said Marissa Barnett with City of Galveston. “The City of Galveston we have a no-wake ordinance.... Drivers are not allowed more than 5 miles per hour in roadways that have standing water, and our police are our enforcing that.”​​​​​​​

Barnett said as of late afternoon Wednesday no homes or businesses had been reported to have flood damage.