NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans neighbors in the Carrollton area are fed up with ongoing roadwork which has now turned one street into a chain of lakes.
Large sinkholes, full of water have opened on Burdette Street between Neron Place and Sycamore Street.
Ro Mayer’s house has a waterfront view.
“These puddles started to form because you got this leak, right here,” Mayer said pointing to one of the holes. “You can see the current coming in, that continues to fill this puddle.”
Burdette has been under construction for about five months.
Recently contractors installed underground pipes and covered up the holes with river sand. Sand that is now washing away.
“The street is not draining because of all the sand they used for fill is going into our drains,” Mayer said.
Friday, cars and trucks slowly made their way over the sinkholes, which appear to be growing with every large truck that passes by.
Kendra Morris fears her street is becoming one giant sinkhole.
“I just don’t understand what the plan is,” Morris said. “When is it going to stop being a dirt road? I don’t know.”
The City did install safety cones, orange fencing and barricades.
But Raju Adhikari said more and more of the street is sinking every day.
“It seems nothing has been done,” Adhikari said. “Two weeks the puddles have been here. It’s pretty dangerous. The dust is unbearable. You can’t sit outside your porch and enjoy the weather or anything.”
Neighbors say the ongoing road work has eroded their quality of life and they just want it to end.
“I see that they are doing this type of construction everywhere in the city, so, I guess in the long run it’s for the good,” Adhikari said. “But at the same time, it’s not acceptable when you leave a mess and just leave it there for several weeks and people have to deal with it, you know. I just wish there was a better system.”
“I’m pretty fed up,” Mayer said. I mean my house is cracking from big excavating machines. I got dust and dirt everywhere on my porch, in my house, in my shoes. I can’t hang my laundry up to dry, which I like to do. Can’t cross the street without getting filthy.”
Neighbors say they’ve complained about the problem to both the City and their city councilman, Joe Giarrusso.