[StBernard] Street signs needed as St. Bernard rebuilds

[Westley Annis]

Some people are making their own 
 
By Karen Turni Bazile
 
Call it a grassroots sign of recovery in St. Bernard Parish: homemade street
signs are cropping up in various neighborhoods. 
 
But as more residents return to the parish to begin rebuilding, some parish
officials say it's critical for the parish to better mark its streets and
roadways. 
 
"Now that we've got our recovery rolling full swing, people can't get
building materials delivered," Parish Councilman Joey DiFatta said this
week. "Even if it is temporary signs now, I know we need something. Without
the delivery trucks knowing where to go, it causes people extra stress." 
 
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Parish Chief Administrative Officer Dave Peralta said the parish will begin
erecting regulatory signs, such as stop signs, in about two weeks. Although
Peralta said he wasn't sure how much it will cost, he said the Federal
Emergency Management Agency is expected to foot much of the bill. 
 
However, Peralta told Parish Council members at this week's meeting he is
hesitant to replace street signs because many wind up being torn down during
reconstruction and demolition work. 
 
Peralta said one of the national volunteer groups that has been gutting
local homes, Hilltop Rescue and Relief, is recycling the illegal business
signs that keep popping up on rights of way. The volunteers began two weeks
ago making temporary street name signs, and Peralta is encouraging residents
to take matters into their own hands when possible. 
 
Public Works Director Chris Merkl said he would again ask the state
Department of Transportation and Development to replace street signs along
the major thoroughfares, which are state highways. 
. . . . . . . 
Karen Turni Bazile can be reached at kturni at timespicayune.com or (504)
352-2539. 
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Taking matters into your own hands is fine.  However, this was posted
somewhere else before.  Why not get wood or metal the size of standard
street signs and give it to the schools and have art classes or whomever
decorate them with the street names.  Surely we have a list or grid of all
the street names in the parish, don't we?
 
JLY