$10 Million Dollar FEMA Grant Awarded to Gretna
Ever since Katrina, the New Orleans area is on top of addressing flooding issues. Gretna is one of the areas that sees a lot of flooding. FEMA has announced that they will give Gretna a $10 million grant to address the flooding issues.
The canal drainage will be addressed along with repairing 25th Street. Both the Jonestown and Bellevue area will get much needed flood relief as well as beautification to the community.
“Right now, if you ride through, it’s unbelievable how bad that is,” said City Councilman Mark Miller, whose district includes the project area, “but there is nothing you can do until the canal is shored up to be able to stabilize the banks and support any road work.”
Gretna will add the grant to the grants already allotted to problems that are occurring in City Park making a total of $18.7 million for the project. The City Park drainage project and the new project, which Gretna will seek public input on, will work hand in hand to fix the flooding and draining issues. Gretna announced they will begin the design phase for the new project in the next 6 months.
The total project, which includes the City Park drainage project and the new project, will take three to five years to complete. The FEMA grant will cover the cost of repairing and rebuilding the canal. It will improve the connectivity to the drainage network. The LA Safe Program grant and the $3 million funded by the Department of Transportation and Developments Flood Control Program will improve on drainage and beautification in City Park. Retention capacity will be added to the park’s pond along with replenishing vegetation along the pond’s banks. Pavilions, restrooms and walking paths will also be added to the amenities at the park.
The projects fall under the Gretna Resilience District which was created by the city to help raise grant money for the Jonestown and Bellevue areas. The projects coming together will bring the area much-needed flooding relief.
“It all couldn’t have come together at a better time,” Miller said.
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