Plymouth Township residents say a Wayne County project meant to end neighborhood flooding has instead left them with deeper ditches, eroding yards and a fresh safety headache. Months after crews dug along Governor Bradford Road and Priscilla Lane, neighbors say the water problem remains while parts of the fix look unfinished.
Wayne County began ditching and drainage work in June 2025 to address longstanding flooding, but homeowners say the project made conditions worse. Their complaints include standing water, unstable yards, lost parking and deep ditches that they believe create risks for drivers, pedestrians and a nearby bus route, according to WXYZ Channel 7.
Mike Tavarozzi, who has lived in the township for 32 years, said a large section of his front yard was dug out, leaving him unable to mow it normally and eliminating on-street parking. He also said flooding continues despite the work and described the result as a debacle.
Residents Say The Ditches Created New Hazards
Neighbors describe the problem as more than an eyesore. Cheryl Howard, an 82-year-old resident, said she fell into one of the ditches and struggled to get out because of her knees, while Megan Ogle said the road is beginning to erode where it slopes toward the ditch.
The work also forced the Tavarozzi family to remove a rain garden, and residents say cones and unfinished construction areas have remained in place since last year. Anne Van Wagoner dug her own ditch and said she does not want the county touching her culvert after seeing what happened nearby.
Residents say they have spent months emailing Wayne County Roads and Commissioner Terry Marecki’s office for a point person, a survey and a concrete action plan. In the meantime, they have placed reflectors near the ditches to make the drop-offs more visible.
Countywide Drainage Plan Faces A Local Test
Wayne County’s own stormwater strategy says roadside ditching should improve water flow, reduce pooling and help prevent local street flooding. The county says its broader plan covers 43 communities and that its public services department responded to more than 5,700 stormwater requests between 2020 and 2025, according to the county’s Stormwater Action Plan.
The county’s Roads Division lists ditching among the work handled by its maintenance yards, and its public guidance directs residents to report drainage and water hazards through the county’s road service system. That makes the Plymouth complaints especially pointed: the infrastructure the county says should reduce flooding is now being blamed by residents for adding new hazards.
A nearby example is adding pressure to the questions in Plymouth Township. In Northville Township, Wayne County contractors began clearing a clogged drain after resident complaints, with officials explaining that crews would clear the drain first before addressing roadside ditches and driveway culverts, as reported in a separate WXYZ drainage report.
At the time of the Plymouth Township report, Wayne County Roads and Marecki’s office had not provided a response. The county had planned to return in 2026 to work on additional homes, but residents say they want answers and a repair plan before more yards, culverts and roadside ditches are disturbed.
