Expand / Collapse search
☰

Clayton County private road washout leaves 7 families stranded

By
Published  September 27, 2024 8:04pm EDT
Clayton County
FOX 5 Atlanta

Helene flooding washes road, strands family

A Clayton County family says county-approved developments near their property are to blame for their road being washed out. The flooding has left them stranded.

In brief:

    • Road collapse on Holly Hill Way in Clayton County strands seven families, leaving around 20 people isolated.
    • Swamp Creek flooding early Friday caused the damage, creating a dire situation with no alternative access for emergency services.
    • Clayton County Fire Department and Emergency Management officials assess closure and risks, with contingency plans for medical emergencies.
    • Residents express long-term concerns over drainage infrastructure, citing lack of county action on private road due to funding policies.
    • Locals have provisions to last a few days and await the receding of floodwaters for the initiation of repair work.

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - A road washed away in Clayton County, stranding seven families. 

Holly Hill Way is a private road in Clayton County and the raging Swamp Creek caused a wash-out early Friday morning.  

The collapsed roadway is not only keeping people out, but this very dangerous situation is also trapping people in. 

So, trapped by the breach, FOX 5 provided a microphone for them to communicate in an interview across the washed-out road. 

"There is one way in and one way out in our neighborhood," resident Mike Dailey said. "So, we are basically trapped. We can’t get out to get food, the fire department can’t get in."  

Clayton County Fire Department personnel were there by late morning to close the road. Clayton County Emergency Management was there too to assess the situation. 

Residents say that with the seven houses there are about 20 people who are cut off.  

Image 1 of 8
▼

Holly Hill Way, a private road in Clayton County, washed away during Helene leaving seven families stranded on Sept. 27, 2024.  (FOX 5)

FOX 5 was told Clayton County Fire has a plan to cut through a nearby subdivision if any resident is in need of medical services in the coming days. 

Nearby neighbors say the drainpipes that gave way have been a longtime concern of residents here.  They say that because Holly Hill Way is a private road, county officials have been adamant about not using tax dollars for repairs in the past. 

"We're just trying to reach out to someone who can help us," Dailey said.  

These neighbors point out that runoff from county approved development along Swamp Creek has contributed to the current flooding issues.  

Residents say they have supplies for a few days.  

How long it will take Swamp Creek to recede so that crews can safely make temporary repairs is really anyone’s guess.