NEWSMAKERS
January 27, 2016
Longtime Vandebilt coach passes away
January 27, 2016
North Canal Boulevard near Andolsek Park in Thibodaux will not be the prettiest sight for residents in 2016.
Gone is a central turn line and traffic lights near the intersection of Melrose Drive. In come traffic cones and swerving lanes for drivers in each direction.
The temporary headache is the result of the project to widen North Canal Boulevard. According to Thibodaux Mayor Tommy Eschete, Barriere Construction should finish up North Canal this year, weather permitting.
“I’m not going to be as naïve to say that I think it’s going to take eight months. It may; if the weather cooperates, I think they can finish in that amount of time. If it doesn’t, it’s nothing unusual to see a project like that run a month over or something,” the mayor said.
The project, originally slated to happen in phases with a $2-$3 million first phase, became an $11 million operation finished in one fell swoop. Eschete said he worked with former state Rep. Jerome “Dee” Richard, Sen. Bret Allain and former Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Sherri LeBas to secure funding for the widening program. Instead of just an overlay of North Canal, which is a state roadway, the construction now calls for safety improvement.
“I think it’s a win-win for us and certainly for all the business owners and residents that live along that corridor. It’s certainly going to be a win-win for them, too, especially from a safety standpoint,” Eschete said.
One of Thibodaux’s major traffic arteries getting a makeover is part of the city’s preparations for change in the north side. Beside improving safety now, the widening project will help accommodate future growth in the area, according to Eschete.
“I think they realize that the growth in that area, the growth in Thibodaux was going to be in that particular area. Whether it was commercial on one side and semi-residential on the other side, the center turn lane and the condition of the existing road warranted some change,” he said.
Accompanying North Canal’s widening will be a new wastewater treatment facility in north Thibodaux. Eschete said the city is waiting on final approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on potential wetlands issues. If the Corps does indeed give the thumbs up, Eschete hopes to begin construction on the facility by late spring of this year. According to the mayor, work should take about 18 months from when shovels hit the dirt.
Eschete said the new waste treatment plant would enhance Thibodaux’s treatment capabilities across the whole city. If the older facility in the south part of town is overworked, the new facility could provide assistance. Again, the project is also done with one eye toward the future.
“It’s an enhancement for us, from every resident’s standpoint, but also gives us some ability to continue to grow on the north side of town. It gives us more capacity from a standpoint of wastewater treatment,” Eschete said.
While Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes have seen their tax revenues take a hit in relation to the slumping oil market, Eschete said his city has not encountered the same challenges. The mayor said that through December, his city has not seen a downturn in tax revenue. However, he is not ready to predict that Thibodaux is fully insulated from the dropping oil prices.
“To tell you that it won’t go down, I won’t tell you that. We’re kind of holding our breath, waiting to see what happens. But right now, so far, so good,” he said.
Instead, Thibodaux is looking toward an increase in revenue with a half-cent sales tax increase on the March 5 special election when voters will also choose its new District 5 council member. If that proposal passes, Eschete said that Thibodaux will use the new money to pursue additional projects.
“Hopefully, we’ll convince our voters to pass that. If we do, then we do have a want list that we need to start working on,” Eschete said. “Until we see what our revenue streams are going to be, pending the potential approval of that, we have some projects but right now they’re just on hold.” •
