WALLINGFORD, Conn. -- Residents in one Wallingford community said they're concerned about a rat problem.

With several residents reporting having run-ins with the rodents, they said they're worried that a nearby construction project could make things worse.

Resident Jim Reilly said he takes pride in his well-maintained Wallingford back yard, but that his wife can't stand the rat problem.

"She goes crazy," he said. "When she sees a rat, she runs. She sees them on the deck; once I got a call at work in the middle of the day, and sure enough, I saw him walking in the yard."

The Reillys and their neighbors said they blame a washed-out culvert that runs under their road for the problem.

"During heavy rains, when the stream gets high and they got to get out, they come up and we see them," Reilly said.

Repairs to that culvert are set to start soon, but Reilly said he and his neighbors are worried the construction could force the rats from that site and closer to them.

"We want them to control them," he said.

The Reillys said they got a letter this week from the town that an exterminator will work to fix the problem before construction begins next week.