Drainage ditch widening nearly over in Ascension

• By DAVID J. MITCHELL
• Advocate River parishes bureau
• Published: Nov 7, 2009 - Page: 4B

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GONZALES — Excavation is nearly complete on a mostly in-house parish project to increase the capacity of a ditch draining east-central Ascension Parish, parish government’s top drainage official said.

Planned improvements to the Bert Allen Ditch await resolution of rights of way and other property issues before parish workers attack a final stretch between Bert Allen Road and Black Bayou, Drainage Director Bill Roux said Thursday.

The ditch drains an area encompassed by La. 621, La. 931, La. 431 and Black Bayou, Roux said.

The project, funded through East Ascension Drainage District No. 1, was among a number of topics listed in a summary report district commissioners received when they briefly met Monday.

Roux said that once workers complete digging out the ditch, the parish will start work to remove and replace about a half-dozen timber bridges spanning the channel.

He said the plan is to bid out all the bridge replacement work to one firm. The commission is expected to be asked for authority to seek bids next month, Roux added.

He said the bridges, though private, must be replaced because the drainage project is widening the ditch where the bridges are located.

Bert Allen Ditch flows into Black Bayou east of La. 44 and north of La. 621, Roux said. Black Bayou is a major drainage route that helps carry water to the Marvin J. Braud Pumping Station in the southeast part of the parish.

Councilman Todd Lambert, a former chairman of the commission, said Friday some private residences near the ditch have had flooding problems.

Noting that Black Bayou was improved a few years ago, Lambert said he expects the drainage improvements to help greatly in that area and along Shadow Creek. The creek joins Bert Allen Ditch west of Roddy Road.

In addition, road projects have been completed or nearly completed in the ditch’s watershed.

On Thursday, the Parish Council accepted as substantially complete two culverts that replaced bridges on Roddy.

The new, wider culverts allowing Roddy to cross Burt Allen Ditch and Shadow Creek cost about $707,000, parish officials have said.