FORT BENNING, Ga., (Jan. 6 2016) -- The damage to Fort Benning streets and roads caused by heavy rains during December block leave is estimated at more than $13 million.
Many garrison employees returned Jan. 4 to closed roads, detours and traffic delays and Soldiers should expect modified training plans as damage assessments continue to flood in.
With more than 16 inches of rain saturating the area during the two-week holiday period, the Maneuver Center of Excellence directed Jan. 4 for all units to conduct damage assessments of all facilities, roads and grounds in their areas of responsibility including unoccupied buildings.
Some of the damage includes:
• 10th Division Road to Edwards Street will be closed for six months to repair the slope. Also, the new pedestrian trail is closed because of ground saturation. This road is a primary commuter and freight route for Main Post. The detour roads are marked - Sigerfoos Road, Vibbert and Wold avenues, Edwards Street and Lumpkin Road on Main Post. Post officials placed these roads off limits for physical readiness training and foot marches because of the increased traffic.
• Laundry Creek Bridge on Sunshine Road near Lawson Army Air Field is closed to traffic because of erosion. Commuters who use the Eddy Bridge access control point to Alabama will detour to 82nd Division Road. Because of the increased traffic on 82nd Division Road, and Jecelin Road, Bradshaw and Indianhead, these detour routes are off limits to all physical readiness training and foot marches.
• Sunshine Road also washed out in several places. Kevin Clarke, deputy director of Emergency Services, said there is an area of the road that essentially is an island - washouts on both the west and east sides of the road have closed Griswold Range for training. The areas are also off limits for hunting because of the road washouts.
• 1st Division Road, a main route to tank ranges is closed because the concrete road is cracked and shifting. Officials expect it to take three months to get the road fixed.
• In the Good Hope Maneuver Training Area, at least 20 gravel trails have washed out, but with more than 120 miles of roads in the area, the damage assessment is incomplete. Officials expect it will take 30 days to get the area online for training.
• More than 20 tank and training trails have washed out with large amounts of debris to be removed.
• Way Road from Indianhead Road to Ashley Avenue is closed because a culvert washed out.
• The Digital Multi Purpose Range Complex had several lanes washed out, but is still usable for modified training, said Bob Brown, director of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security.
• The Soldier Service Center, Ridgway Hall, flooded and floor drains collapsed.
• In addition, the Smith Fitness Center pools are closed to repair water damage to the roof.
• The heavy rain on Christmas Eve caused the parking lot on the west side of the Exchange to sink, which caused a water line failure resulting in closing the food court at the Exchange. However, Fort Benning's Fire Department worked with the Directorate of Public Works and Columbus Water Works to get water back into the building so the food court could reopen.
• Flooding at Uchee Creek Campground and Marina destroyed the fishing pier and the boat dock came loose from its mooring. Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation employees had to drag the debris back to the shore, said Al Gelineau, the FMWR director.
• The Bradley Training Center, Building 5205, 200 feet of skylight leaked, causing damage to interior walls and walkways.
• Flooding at Weems Pond compromised the spillway, including the main route for Good Hope Maneuver Training Area.
"The only positive from this situation is it couldn't have happened at a better time, with holiday block leave and minimal traffic on the roads," Clarke said.
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