LAFAYETTE — With the amount of rainfall we have had the past few days comes localized flooding in certain areas throughout Acadiana. One area that is being affected is Herbert Road, between Walker road and West Willow Street.
We spoke with residents who live along Herbert Road who say they are concerned about the amount of water builds up in the street after a heavy rainstorm.
"I can't get to my house like I want to, and I can't drive my car like I want to through here," says Donald J. Smith, a resident along the road. "My wife lost her Mustang a couple of years ago in this water."
Smith has lived along Herbert Road for eight years, and ever since he moved in, he has fought with the flooded street.
"There is a fairly large drainage ditch along Hebert Road that carries a lot of water coming from Willow Street and other subdivisions in the area," says Chad Nepveaux, the Director for LCG's Public Works. "For years now there has been a problem with the localized flooding when we get a lot of heavy rainfall and the road just goes underwater."
Nepveaux says that there are plans for a drainage project to help alleviate some of the issue. He anticipated the project beginning in the next sixty to ninety days, and he expects construction to last for about ten to twelve months.
"The project entails taking those existing ditches, that really have a limited capacity, and build a vertical wall channel where the ditch is," says Nepveaux. "This will increase the capacity of the ditches to take the water out of the area and bring it to a nearby retention pond."
Until the project is complete, Nepveaux urges residents to try and avoid the road when it's flooded if you are driving a vehicle that is low to the ground. If you must travel down the road, do so with caution when the water is high.
If you live in an area that floods a lot, and you believe there might be a drainage problem you can submit a report to the city online.
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