McCoy's Creek project in Jacksonville aims to tackle decades of flooding

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For decades, neighbors along McCoys Creek have braced for flooding every time a heavy rainstorm hits, but a multimillion-dollar project could finally bring relief.

Thursday, crews began removing barriers at the McCoys Creek outfall in downtown Jacksonville. It’s part of an over $105 million plan to widen and deepen the creek, easing flooding while also creating new green space, trails, and even kayak access.

Lonnie Garren, who has worked at Cash Building Material along the creek for more than 40 years, said flooding has long disrupted life in the neighborhood. He calls it a safety issue.

“When we have really some good hard rains, the whole road floods and then people can’t get in and out, including us,” Garren said.

For Garren, the city’s past efforts felt like tem