Some Southaven Roads To Close for Flood Repairs

(Southaven, MS)  Work starts Wednesday on new drainage system costing more than 1.7 million dollars in Southaven.

Exactly seven years ago this past weekend, heavy rain flooded the Autumn Woods Subdivision, sending waist deep water on the street and even in several homes.

Southaven firefighters even had to rescue people in boats on several streets, as the water kept coming, and didn’t drain off anywhere.

Mike Lahatte remembers it as if it were yesterday, ”It was just horrific from this house to the end of the street.  I mean, it was this deep in homes and it was just terrible for weeks and weeks.”

It’ll mean closing Swinnea and Rasco roads a few days, but should solve the flooding problem here by giving the water more of a way out.

Mayor Greg Davis hopes it’ll never flood again, ”It’s not supposed to in reasonable, but I have long learned that no one controls Mother Nature.  But this obviously, will make it a much better situation, so much heavier rainfall can come in before any flooding problems should occur.”

More drainage pipes should move more water, keeping the streets and homes dry.

This project includes, not only putting in several new drainage pipes, but the city will also repair the old ones to move the most water.

Getting the money for that took extra time, but the Davis said it’s worth it, ”We could have run the new pipes and been done, but my engineering side said that’s not enough.”

Neighbors will have to find their way around Swinnea until about August 5th. 

Rasco won’t completely close, but will likely go down to just one lane while the work’s done.

City leaders expect to have all the work done and all the roads back open by the time school starts, in a couple of weeks.