Mayor Ashton Hayward yesterday told NewsRadio 1620 that he had visited the Government Stree/Corrine Jones Stormwater project that is behind schedule but expected to be competed in July. We reported on Tuesday that the eastern end of the project had been breached, a section of the sidewalk had collapsed and considerable erosion over under sections was seen.
“Obviously because the road’s torn up, it has not come online yet,” said Mayor Hayward. “The new facility has not come online, so I think that’s something that’s very important for all our listeners and the folks that live down there. I know everyone’s anxious to get that park finished. I am as well, obviously as the mayor.”
The $3-million-plus project has been funded with a $2.1 million grant from the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund from the National Fish and Wildlife Service, part of the City’s settlement with the BP and the city’s stormwater capital projects fund. The mayor wanted the residents to understand the overall value of the project.
“I think that’s going to provide tremendous value for that neighborhood, and obviously mitigate a lot of that flooding that has been going on for years,” he said. “You’ve got a lot of state-owned land there. You have some city property there. I think as a community, we work tirelessly, and since 2014 to really create that value, and address flooding that hasn’t really been addressed.”
Mayor Hayward added, “We’re the oldest city in America. I think if you look at it like that, the last three years, we’ve stepped up our game and gotten some tremendous grants. Government Street is something that I think that we’re all going to be proud of when Corinne Jones comes online officially, and that water’s drained from there.”
The mayor didn’t explain why the flooding happened, how long the repairs would take (and at what cost), or how the finished design would prevent further flooding.
All the residents can do is wait for the project to be completed and hope it works during heavy rain events.