Lafourche Parish juggles finances to keep projects on front burner

July 21
July 21, 2009
Louise Fanguy Buquet
July 23, 2009
July 21
July 21, 2009
Louise Fanguy Buquet
July 23, 2009

Decreasing traffic congestion, clearing sewerage and weatherizing old homes in the parish are just a few things Lafourche Parish plans to do with its 2009 allocation of federal stimulus monies.


“It’s important to point out the things the parish is doing for the future in the event of a natural disaster and increased foot traffic in the parish,” Parish President Charlotte Randolph told Lafourche Parish councilmen two weeks ago.


In the past, Lafourche has relied on royalties, tax millages, the Community Block Development Grant Program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant program to fund improvements in the parish.

However, Randolph said by year’s end, Lafourche will bank $4 million in federal stimulus monies to help with some of those projects.


Randolph said $2.4 million of the stimulus dollars will be used to improve the parish’s transportation system. The parish will add more turning lanes to decrease congestion on roadways.


“This is something that we experience every day,” she said. “The traffic in central Lafourche has increased, and the money will allow us to incorporate three-lane traffic from U.S. Highway 90 to the Gheens Bridge.”

Randolph said other projects include adding turning lanes near Tiger Drive, Canal Boulevard and Audubon and Jackson streets in Thibodaux.

Lafourche will also fund various sewer improvements with stimulus monies. Randolph said the parish will receive $1.1 million from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to clean sewerage in the Marydale, Lewistown and Rita communities.

“Sewage and drainage are always recurring issues,” she said. “We will never be free of the problems. All we can do is make sure that we are making improvements to our system.”

With the federal stimulus funds, the parish will make major adjustments in its home weatherization program. Randolph said Lafourche has received $300,000 from the state’s community action program to weatherize homes.

“For those who need assistance, we have increased the funding to allow for roof repairs,” she said. “This is something that has not been done in the parish before. The state figured that the program was defeating the purpose without fixing the roofs and the other problems at homes.”

Randolph said including roof repairs brings the weatherization program full circle.