JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
Aaron Gerards of Azalea Drive in Jackson has lost patience with the city. He shows us a gaping hole in the street in front of his house that's about 16 feet deep. It appears to have been caused by a collapsed water line, and it stinks.
"Smells like sewer water in there," Geralds says, peeling away the plywood that covers the hole.
Geralds says the hole began forming nine months ago, and the plywood and barriers have been in place for about that long as well.
He says he's only gotten one visit from a public works supervisor.
"I asked him about putting a steel plate over it, he said it would slide," Geralds says. "He looked at it and told me he didn't have the money to fix it right now. Four months ago, last time I talked to him. The gas people came out, looked at it, said yes we have a gas line there but it's not our problem, it's the city's problem."
Geralds says he has a hard time pulling out of his driveway, especially in the busy morning and afternoon, because traffic doesn't stay to the left of the hole. Most motorists take the easiest way possible.
"(Traffic is) coming on the wrong side, is what happens," he says.
But passers by are just as concerned, some stopping to air their own frustrations.
"I'm afraid somebody's gonna get hurt," says motorist Joe Whipps. "Come down the street, that's what you see right there. Same thing up here," he says, pointing to another set of barricades about 200 yards down Wilshire Avenue. There's also a gaping crack in the pavement. Passing vehicles rattle the ground, and a river of sewer water can be seen flowing underneath the street. Neighbors say that set of barricades has been up for more than a year, and it appears the two problems are connected.
By late afternoon Wednesday, the City of Jackson had not returned our call for comment.
WLBT 3 - Fox 40
