After years of citizens complaining East Baton Rouge Parish leaders were not doing enough about flooding, DPW crews started work on a $20 million drainage project approved by Metro Council on Wednesday, June 23.
The plan targets more than 2,400 storm drains to be cleaned of sediment and debris.
A spokesman with the Mayor-President’s office said those which are more than 75% clogged will take top priority. The plan also focuses on fixing 1,100 caved in pipes, plus clearing and grubbing vegetation from ditches and canals across the parish.
All work, according to the parish, is expected to continue through the summer.
This project will compliment another project set to begin in the fall.
The $350 million Flood Risk Mitigation project targets the five main tributaries that drain most of the water from the parish: Wards Creek, Jones Creek, Bayou Fountain, Beaver Bayou, and Blackwater Bayou.
According to a parish spokesman, 75% of the parish’s water drains through these.
