Bossier Parish Police Jury highway department crews have begun pulling extra duty in efforts to maintain drainage ditches throughout the parish.
Crews have been authorized to begin working Saturdays in order to catch up with a backlog of ditches that need attention. Three ditches were reworked last week and three additional ditches have already been identified for work Saturday, July 25.
“We’ve been trying to keep up with the maintenance to our drainage ditches but some of the work takes time,” said Parish Engineer Butch Ford. “Mark (Coutee) and his crews are constantly working on these ditches but there’s a lot of them and we’ve got a backlog now.”
Ford said crews are working daily on ditch maintenance and will continue to also work Saturdays until a dent has been made in the number of drainage ditches that need maintenance.
“We’re just working hard to try and get things done,” he said.
Area motorists travelling on I-220 and Swan Lake Rd. will be looking at a series of detours and closures beginning July 29 when contractors begin a project to widen lanes on Swan Lake at its intersection with the I-220 overpass.
Phase one of the project calls for the closure of the westbound entrance ramp from Swan Lake onto I-220 and the eastbound exit ramp off I-220 at Swan Lake. That closure is expected to last approximately 30 days.
Phase two will close the Swan Lake Rd. eastbound entrance ramp onto I-220 and the westbound exit ramp off I-220 onto Swan Lake. That, too, should close the ramps for 30 days.
Signage on the roadway will give details of alternate routes to access Swan Lake Rd. and I-220.
Another 30-day project involves widening Swan Lake Rd. along its route beneath the I-220 overpass. Intermittent lane closures, both north and southbound, will be necessary during 12-hour periods while the project contractor lays new lanes and surface. Lane closings will be staggered to accommodate traffic.
Officials said the project is scheduled to be completed in 100 days, weather permitting.