NEW ORLEANS —
Several New Orleans East bridge closures have created confusion among residents. The city expects repairs to those roadways will start this spring, according to spokesperson LaTonya Norton.
The eastbound lane of the Lake Forest Boulevard Bridge over the Benson Canal is closed. Crews have also rerouted traffic on the westbound side of the bridge over the Citrus Canal to the eastbound lane.
When New Orleans East barber B.B. Davis drove into work a couple weeks ago, the closure took him by surprise.
“I was in the left lane and I saw another car coming straight at me,” said Davis, who has worked at Off the Porch Barber Shop for the last two years.
“I was like, what the hell is this?” Davis said.
According to Norton, the closure and re-routings are a necessary safety precaution.
Most area businesses were not notified of the closures, however.
“Businesses in this area contributing to the tax base have a right to know,” said Davis. “Especially if it’s going to impact traffic that’s coming into our businesses.”
Corey Kennedy at Liquor Store Depot was also left in the dark.
“I am already slow sometimes during the week. I don’t have a whole lot but yeah definitely it can impact our business,” said Kennedy.
The bridges on Lake Forest aren’t the only closures in the area. There are two bridges with old and rotten pillars at Morrison Road and Mayo Road. Neighbors say the bridges have been shut down for months.
“People already say that 'people forget about people in the East,' but you know, if you look at the community these people pay taxes, too,“ said neighbor Norris Henderson, who lives right down from the Morrison and Mayo intersection.
Crews are going to start repairs at Morrison and Mayo in the spring, city officials said. By that time, both lanes on the Lake Forest Boulevard Bridge over the Citrus Canal and the eastbound side of the bridge at the Benson Canal will also be repaired, too, according to Norton.
Henderson said he'll remain skeptical.
“You know how spring turns into fall, fall turns into winter, so you know it depends on what we mean by spring,” said Henderson.
Others, like resident Tracey Despenza, are just happy the city is working to fix the bridges.
“That’s a safety issue for us and I think that’s very important,” said Despenza.
Eyewitness News asked the city how long the repairs would take. They would not comment.