LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Crews from Public Works and MSD are preparing for potential flooding this weekend in Louisville. The city has had its fair share of flooding, some instances even turning deadly. We're on your side learning more about preparations and how the most flood-prone areas should be marked.
Board by board, barricades are loaded into trucks and head to the highest probability flood areas in metro Louisville.
"In all of the things that we do as a department, at the end of the day, safety is our goal," said Salvador Melendez, Public Information Officer for Public Works.
Three of those department members are taking barriers, signs and those barricades to viaducts and the River Road area.
"You don't want to start late," Melendez said. "Once you try to mitigate the event when it's happening, you're a bit behind the 8 ball."
After they finished loading the trucks, WHAS visited several of the well-known flood viaducts. There were signs going both ways at all of the viaducts we visited, except westbound warning signs on Oak Street, at the viaduct between 13th and 15th. This area made headlines in September of 2018 when a cab driver drowned during record rainfall flooding.
We reached out to Public Works to ask them about the sign. They told us the sign was likely knocked off by a wide truck, and they were going out the same day to fix it.
"If you come to those intersections, make sure you are aware of your surroundings, know where you are, and follow those warnings," Melendez said. "They're there to protect you."
Melendez also told us there are ways you can be a good neighbor or business owner and help out with reducing flooding. If you have a gutter or a catch basin in front of your home or business, make sure it is clear of debris so it can drain properly.
For more information on how to handle flooding, you can click this link HERE.
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