BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Many citizens are voicing their concerns about the continuing problems with flooding and drainage in surrounding areas.
Concerned residents are frustrated with the drainage, flooding and debris of the Comite and Amite rivers.
Resident Robert Burns believes the real problem is the filling up of the Comite and Amite rivers causing improper drainage. He said nothing is being done about it.
“All we are having are meetings, consulting, committees, more studies, more meetings but nothing has been done,” Burns said.
People insist on answers about what is happening with the Phase 1 permits. Fred Raiford, director of the department of transportation and drainage in East Baton Rouge Parish, explains the process of the work on drainage.
“We are in a process of securing a permit with the Corp. To do a section from the Amite River and where Comite ties in. We are going to go all the way up to Highway 64 if funding is available at that point. Depending on how much we have to pull up and how much comes out,” Raiford said.
Raiford said a lot of areas had a lot of tree debris. He said he is excited about the progress and said it can take some time, but they are doing everything they can.
“Hopefully we can get the first phase which is from the Central through way all the way south. Back to the Amite River which will hopefully get a permit within the next two weeks. We are doing everything we can to get that through the process,” Raiford said.
Raiford said millions of dollars were used to clear and snag the Comite River. The City of Central also committed $500,000 to help with this clean-up effort.
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