OPELOUSAS, La, (KLFY) – Some Opelousas residents have had enough with the poor road conditions in their neighborhood.
As we got to the root of the problem, we discovered a bigger issue that affects the community at large.
Here’s more in this Dial Dalfred Report.
“Shame on the city of Opelousas. People can’t come deliver without getting stuck in this big hole,” Ann Robert Mason said as she captured video of a pizza delivery driver’s car stuck in the same hole she says she’s been complaining about for a year.
“On Monday after the video went viral, we had several people from the town started calling. We still haven’t heard from our mayor”, Mason said.
“When it was brought to my attention Saturday evening, I went out and I put some cones in the area of where the two potholes existed.” Mayor Julius Alsandor said
According to the mayor, the pothole developed over time because of a water leak underground.
“While in the process of repairing it we also developed another hole/problem/leak on the extending line.”
The mayor says while fixing those two problems, they learned of a major water leak near a restaurant on Creswell Lane.
“We have leaks that are several months old and I’m not afraid to go ahead and say that. These leaks are popping up just as fast as we can repair them.”
One of the main factors to these leaking pipes is the cities aging infrastructure and outdated galvanized piping system.
“In just a day, maybe 4 or 5 hours we found about 37 other leaks. That’s not even the leaks that we already have in the system. We are proactively addressing them, not as quickly and as fast as everyone would want us to. They’re frustrated, I’m frustrated too.”
The mayor described the lack the manpower and equipment to get the repairs done as fast as everyone would like; but there is a plan in place.
Part of that plan includes 1.1-million dollars to address the water metering system, a 1.5-million-dollar capital outlay to focus on sewer upgrades, and nearly 2 million dollars to repair poor road conditions in the city.
If there’s an ongoing issue in your neighborhood or community or there’s a story you’d like me to investigate, send me an email at DialDalfred@klfy.com.