Flooding at St. Augustine Bay threatens drivers, pedestrians in the area

Action News Jax First Alert Weather forecast a high tide Friday morning that created flooding in the Historic Downtown St. Augustine area Friday.

Meteorologist said there could be another high tide around 8:30 p.m. that should not be as bad, but will still be higher than normal.
 
"The parking lot is underwater," Charles Murray said. "I guess probably the wind and the high surf probably pushed it over the wall and flooded the low lines areas."
 
Murray was one of several drivers Action News Jax saw driving through the flooded area along A1A. Water reached about 3 inches in highly impacted areas. Scattered showers then started to impact the area around 10 a.m.

Officials with some businesses along A1A said this weather reminds them of the flooding issues they would like their local government to address.
 
"The last two hurricanes we had, we flooded," Superior Real Estate owner John Arbizzani said. "My office here was flooded, and just about everything on the bay-front was flooded, back probably two blocks. So it's always in our minds that this is a problem."
 
As one of the oldest buildings in the country, Arbizzani suggested asking the State and Federal government to help St. Johns County find a solution to the rising flooding issue.
 
"I think that we all need, as a town, get together and put together a plan," Arbizzani said. "I think the State and federal government should be involved as well because this is the oldest city in the country."

Cox Media Group