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Originally Posted by citronsoul I had no idea it still looked like that. I would have expected some kind of clean up to already be in progress...
What is this area going to become? Are they going to rebuild homes on it? Or are they going to keep it clear? |
They just have started demolition of the area. It's a slow process as each home (and surrounding debris) needs to be searched by cadaver dogs before it can be torn down.
It is not just the Lower 9 that looks like that still. A few days ago I drove through the Lakeview neighborhood. Lakeview also had a major levee breach (17 street canal). I didn't have my camera with me so I have no pictures but it looks about the same as the lower 9th.
~60-80% of the city is uninhabitable because of the flood. Very little is being done to clean it up but there are so many other things that need to be done and resources such as money, workers, and equipment is short.
I'm very lucky that my home did not flood. I'm 2 blocks from the Mississippi river Levee and relatively high ground (about 8-10 feet above sea level). Of course if the levee at the end of my street had breached my home would look like the houses in the pictures I posted. Luck of the draw I guess.
Even though my neighborhood is habitable life isn't normal.
-I, and others, have extensive wind/debris damage and our insurance companies do not want to give us our money.
-Grocery shopping around us is closed because of building damage and looting. I have to drive 20 min - a half an hour to get groceries.
-The power goes out regularly but at least it no longer stays off for a day and a half. Now it's just 2-6 hour blackouts.
-Trash pick-up is irregular at best. Right now the trash and debris piles are stacking up (and smelling) outside my house.
-The water is so highly clorinated I will not let my family or pets drink it. I can't even use it to water my houseplants as it's killing them too. I have to buy water 5 cases at a time.
-The city is overrun by "strangers". Most of them work crews here to make some money. I have no problems with that. We need to get the work done but they have no idea how we do things down here. New Orleans is different. Our mannerisms, style and ways are different then anywhere else. We are feeling a bit harrassed by the large amount of visitors and it's stressful, like being invaded by a foreign army.
-Driving is dangerous. The visiting work crews drive dangerously, blowing through stop signs (where the traffic lights still don't work) and blowing off the ones that do. Speeding not only on the highway but down neighborhood streets. Drinking in the French Quarter then driving around drunk and being very offensive in their driving habits. Add onto that the debris that is blown from haulers that litters the streets and you are lucky to get anywhere alive.