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Cyclist contacts 2 On Your Side over bridge support concerns
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ZACHARY - Ben Ross has ridden his bike all around East Baton Rouge Parish. His cycling has even taken him under bridges, where he says he's found some interesting things.
On Tuesday morning, Ross went below the bridge on Angus Avenue in Zachary. There, he knocked on support pillars. One of them was hollow and others had signs of rotting.
"Very rotted, I can see the inside of it," he said. "Others are starting to rot, some of the beams have cracks."
Lower Zachary Road over White Bayou is closed for repairs. That's where Ross took several photos of broken support beams and more rot. His adventures have also taken him to Pride Port Hudson where he has more concerns.
"Parts are just completely missing!" he said.
Ross has reported his findings to the City-Parish.
Joe McGraw lives on Stubbs Lane, a small community off of Highway 409 in Pride. McGraw called 2 On Your Side about the bridge on his small road when he saw a garbage truck make it dip. The city inspected the bridge and lowered the weight limit to three tons, but that didn't solve his problem.
"This is the only access we have to go in and out of our properties," said McGraw.
If the bridge collapses, McGraw won't be able to drive to and from his home. It's something he's worried about for years.
"I've been fighting this for seven years!" he said.
Ross is trying to prevent the same thing from happening near his home and hopes his findings get some attention.
There are several bridge closures in EBRP. Port Hickey Road over Drainage Bayou and Lower Zachary Road over White Bayou cannot be fixed by the maintenance department and will be contracted out. Van Buren Street over Corporation Canal has been replaced with a box culvert. The city's says the road will open soon. East Lakeshore Road will be repaired by the maintenance department and take six weeks to complete. East Flanacher Road over Drain Bayou is nearing completion by the maintenance department and should reopen in the next few days.
The parish has been to the bridges at Stubbs Lane and Angus Avenue and is currently evaluating the damage and plan.
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