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Sidewalk still submerged in North Ft. Myers

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Fox 4 first told you about a submerged sidewalk project in June, residents say the problem is still there.
 
"I'm going to get a tetanus shot, I feel in the future so I can use these sidewalks," said Fred Matthews.
 
Matthews is upset the Florida Department of Transportation hasn't done more to drain the muck and water covering new sidewalks along Tamiami Trail, just north of the Del Prado Extension.
 
"We keep getting told, it's going to get better, I believe they want to give us a snow job in July on this job, here," complained Matthews.
 
Construction crews started building the sidewalks last fall, but the heavy rains earlier this summer made it harder to finish the project.
 
"We have a 100 percent commitment to making sure this whole sidewalk is usable," said FDOT Spokesperson Zac Burch.
 
Burch said crews will correct the problem by making sure there isn't anything clogging the culverts near the sidewalks.
 
"If the drainage improvements don't solve the problem, then we absolutely will move the sidewalks if necessary."
 
Unless a major overhaul is needed, FDOT is confident it can get the sidewalks completed under budget and on time.
 
Matthews says he just wants people in charge to take some accountability for the project.
 
"I know it's not an instant cure, what they did, but the office that checks this here is probably no more than 8 miles away, for the engineers and the people who go out and see what's going on."
 
FDOT says if contractors performed faulty work on the sidewalks they will have to reimburse the state, but if it’s FDOT's fault, they will have to foot the bill.