A Fort Wayne man was caught off guard when he found his driveway completely inaccessible due to ongoing city construction. He says he never received any prior notice, leaving him and his family scrambling for parking in an unsafe spot along a busy street.

Sudden Disruption Leaves Homeowner Stranded

Joe Leksich, a resident on North Clinton Street, came home to an unexpected and frustrating situation. His driveway had been torn up as part of the city’s North Clinton Street Sidewalk Connection project, making it impossible to access his property by car.

He acknowledges the importance of infrastructure improvements but believes the city failed to properly communicate the impact on affected residents.

“The city is improving the streets in front of my house, so I have to make some sacrifices. I understand that,” Leksich said. “But their lack of making me aware of what consequences there would be for me, that’s unfortunate.”

No Advance Notice, No Parking Alternatives

Leksich says his son returned from school Tuesday to find the driveway completely blocked off. The family had no choice but to leave their vehicle on North Clinton Street—a heavily trafficked area.

“Last night, we had to park on Clinton, which is an extremely busy street and not the safest place to be leaving a vehicle,” he said.

The situation left Leksich concerned not only about the inconvenience but also about the safety risks associated with parking in such a high-traffic zone.

City Claims Residents Were Notified

Officials from the City of Fort Wayne insist that affected residents were informed well in advance. Project Manager Greg McDirmit says letters were sent out explaining the scope of the project. Additionally, contractors were instructed to personally notify homeowners about when their driveways would be temporarily out of use.

However, Leksich and his next-door neighbor, with whom he shares a driveway, say they never got any letter. He recalls a contractor knocking on his door roughly two months ago, informing him about the project but never providing a specific timeframe.

“It’s important for them (the city) to let the citizens know what is going on, how it’s going to affect their property, when they’re working in front of their home, and none of that has happened,” Leksich said. “The city hasn’t contacted us, the contractors never contacted us. I didn’t know what this project was until they physically started pouring the sidewalks.”

Questions Remain as City Investigates

The city has yet to explain why some residents—particularly Leksich and his neighbor—did not receive proper notice.

• Were the letters actually delivered to all affected homes?
• If verbal notifications were given, why were some homeowners unaware of the timeline?
• Did the contractors follow protocol in informing residents?

As of now, 21Alive is still awaiting further clarification from the City of Fort Wayne regarding the communication breakdown.