Patterson bridge detour is ready

The Dynamite Canal bridge servicing the only way in and out for about 60 families on Shady Grove Drive is a couple weeks away from repair, but a temporary route has been made in case it is needed.
Steve Bierhorst, Patterson public works director, said 60 feet of eight-foot culvert is being prepared from a company near Crowley to bring to Patterson and repair the bridge that has sunk about five inches over the past year. The galvanized culvert will be coated with a tar-like compound to preserve it for a longer period, Bierhorst said.
The bridge is on the east end of Shady Grove Drive where it connects to Red Cypress Road. If it becomes evident that a collapse is impending before the culvert arrives, the temporary route could be utilized.
Bierhorst does not foresee such an emergency use of the temporary route and expects its only use will be when the city begins the two- or three-day project of repairing the bridge over the Dynamite Canal which is about 8 to 10 feet above the canal.
The temporary access road was mostly completed by Monday and traverses through an empty lot at the west end of Shady Grove Drive. The city extended a driveway-type slab with about 100 feet of gravel, dirt and limestone and crossed over another small drainage ditch utilizing an 18-inch culvert.
The temporary road connects to a graveled service road that goes to a radio tower off of U.S. 90. Bierhorst said he expects to put some sort of temporary blockade at the road so that it is not used as an alternative route before the city authorizes its use.
The water and gas lines that cross over the top of the canal will remain and be protected without a loss of service to the residents, Bierhorst said.
The bridge is about 24 feet wide and has a sharp turn in the road where it crosses the canal. Bierhorst said that by widening the bridge about five feet, the curve can be straightened out.
Mayor Rodney Grogan said last week that he will call a special meeting for the community before construction begins to explain what is going on and attempt to address questions residents may have. The city expects to leave a note of the meeting at each of the residences on the road.
A few residents from Shady Grove Drive attended a special called meeting Grogan had last week where he proclaimed an emergency and promised immediate action will be taken on getting the bridge repaired.