The disappointment of Louisiana’s public sector in one story

A Louisiana town hired a contractor construct a sidewalk along a residential street, but there isn’t enough space for the sidewalk and the mail boxes along the route. So they had to pull up all the mail boxes and mount them behind the new sidewalk.

Unfortunately the post office stopped delivering mail since they won’t drive their trucks on the sidewalk.

So the city moves the mail boxes again- this time to the narrow strip of grass between the street and the new sidewalk. But there isn’t enough space and the passing cars would hit the mailboxes (that now protrude into lane) with their side mirrors.

The mailboxes were then pulled out of the ground for a third time, rotated 90 degrees to be parallel to the street, and re-set.

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The sidewalks are brand new. Brusly Mayor Scot Rhodes says the project was built with grant dollars to provide connectivity and how the mailboxes are now is not a permanent solution.

John Berthelot lives on East St. Francis Street and says it was him who initially brought up some concerns with the project. Berthelot says the mailboxes were first installed between the sidewalk and the houses. One day his mail wasn't delivered and he tracked down the mail carrier to find out why.

"She said your box isn't in the right place, I'm not going to walk across that sidewalk and I'm not going to drive across the sidewalk," Berthelot said.

That's when Berthelot says the postmaster got involved and says the contractor moved the mailboxes to where they are now. Berthelot says the mailboxes were in a better location before the sidewalk was installed. If they're placed on the inner side of the sidewalk he won't get mail. If they're placed on the outside of the sidewalk he says the boxes are too close to the road.

"I don't have any choice," he said.

Rivet says someone has some explaining to do.

"The construction guy told me to talk to the mayor, the mayor told me to talk to the post office," Rivet said.

Drivers seem to swerve out of the way to avoid the edge of the road, except when passing another car like Rivet was doing when she hit the mailbox.

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