T’bonne revamping slew of roads thanks to stimulus funds

Despite budget woes at the state and local levels, officials from Terrebonne are moving swiftly to render area roads a little less rugged. While the parish is funneling large amounts of money into making the efforts a success, help from stimulus funding has allowed the project list to expand.

More than 20 projects will be conducted using about $1.6 million in federal funds. The money will be split between asphalt overlays, concrete panel replacements and turn lane installations throughout Terrebonne.

Asphalt overlays will include patching potholes and overlaying them with asphalt, while panel replacements will aim to eliminate fractured or damaged concrete panels.

Nearly $1 million will be used solely for asphalt overlays and concrete panel replacements on roads that have been pinpointed as vital components of the city’s infrastructure.

“Connector roads, major artery roads, those types of roadways get that funding. They’re local highways, but they can receive federal aid,” explained Terrebonne Public Works Operations Manager Perry Blanchard.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is overseeing those operations.

However, the parish is making even larger strides in the public works household, investing about $3.3 million into similar projects that do not qualify for stimulus funding, like side-roads.

The money is taken from the parish’s annual budget each year as dedicated transportation funds, which originate from a gas tax that was approved by the state years ago, noted Blanchard.

“This is an annual thing we do,” he said.

Improvements are already underway on portions of Broadmoor Avenue, Funderburk Avenue, Presque Isle Drive and Victory Street, as those roads are receiving concrete panel repairs.

A total of 36 parish-funded projects will be completed by the end of the year, according to Blanchard. And this week, officials hope to begin asphalt overlays.

Although priorities for DOTD projects haven’t been outlined, the parish will focus heavily on completing those that fall on the east side of Houma, which will help alleviate traffic congestion once construction begins on Prospect Bridge, said Jeanne Bray, capital project administrator for Terrebonne Parish.

“That way, our contractor can be out of the way by the time the Prospect Bridge gets taken out of service,” she said.

Bids for DOTD projects were received last Wednesday.

Fortunately, the stimulus money has dwindled in during a time of economic uncertainty, making projects that weren’t possible a reality.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity for the parish to, of course, improve the infrastructure of the roadways,” added Blanchard.

But the good comes with the bad.

“Such investments in our roads and streets may cause an inconvenience; however, these improvements will undoubtedly enhance traffic flow and transportation throughout Terrebonne,” said Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet in a news release.

Stimulus-backed projects include:

Asphalt overlays

Country Drive (between Jeff Drive and Klondyke Road)

Southdown Mandalay Road (between Thacker Drive and St. Charles Street)

Westside Boulevard (between West Park Avenue and Marie Drive)

Alma Street (500′ north of Alma Street)

Concrete Panel Replacements

Acadian Avenue (between Saadi Street and Acadian Avenue)

Alma Street (500′ south of Westside Boulevard)

Bayou Gardens Boulevard (between Alma Street and St. Louis Canal Road)

Corporate Drive (between Martin Luther King Boulevard and Emerson Drive)

Dunn Street (between Main Street and Honduras Street)

Enterprise Drive (between West Main Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard)

Jefferson Davis Street (between Wright Avenue and Wilson Avenue)

Klondyke Road (between Bayouside Drive and Country Drive)

Saadi Street (between Lois Road and Sylvia Street)

Woodlawn Ranch Road (between Highway 56 and Highway 57)

Turn Lanes

Right Turn Lane from Bayou Black Drive (LA 182) to Barrow Street Extension (LA 315)

Left Turn Lane from Polk Street to LA 311 (coming from Tunnel to Polk)

Left Turn Lane from LA 182 to Sixth Street

Right Turn Lane from Bayou Gardens Boulevard to West Park Avenue (LA 24)

Right Turn Lane from Hollywood Road to Main Street (LA 24)

Right Turn Lane from Martin Luther King Boulevard (LA 3040) to Hollywood Road

Right Turn Lane from Corporate Drive to Martin Luther King Boulevard (LA 3040)

Right Turn Lane from Coteau Road (LA 660) to West Park Avenue (LA 24)

Right Turn Lane from Country Estates Drive to Coteau Road (LA 660)

Right Turn Lane from Hollywood Road to Martin Luther King Boulevard (LA 3040)

On the parish side of things, a variety of projects:

Audubon Drive – Off of Highway 648 to Nicholls State University

Bayou Gardens Blvd. – Between West Park Avenue and Alma Street

Bayou Side Drive – Between Klondyke Bridge and Sarah Bridge (Hwy 58)

Betty Ann Street – Between Marie Louise Street and Fannie Street (Bayou Cane)

Broadmoor Avenue – From A Street to Kenney Street

Buquet Bridge Road – Off of Highway 57 (Dulac)

Chauff Street – 5762 West Main Street to Terry Street (Bayou Cane)

Concord Road – West off of Country Club Drive (Houma)

Corporate Drive – Between South Hollywood Road and Emerson Court

Cross Street – Between Beth Ann Street and Montegut Street (Montegut)

Daigle – Between Ann Carol Street and Jean Street

Deborah Street – South of Ann Carol Street to the dead end

Edward Street – At 5698 West Main Street past Betty Ann Street (Bayou Cane)

Elgin Street – 5774 West Main Street to Terry Street (Bayou Cane)

Eureka Drive – From 4116 West Park Avenue to Indian Drive

Fannie Street – At 5728 West Main Street to Betty Ann Street (Bayou Cane)

Funderburk Avenue – 6079 West Park Avenue to Broadmoor Avenue

Gilbert Street – Between Edward Street and Marie Louise Street (Bayou Cane)

Gray Street – At 3120 West Main Street (Gray) near Highway 316

Gulf Access Road – At 324 Highway 315 (Crozier Area)

Hawky Lane – At 330 Texas Gulf Road (Bourg)

Leger Street – Between S. Roosevelt Drive and Z Street (Montegut)

Leon Street – Between Marie Louise Street and Fannie Street (Bayou Cane)

Leve Street – At 5250 Highway 56 (Chauvin)

Marcia Street – Between Betty Ann Street and Leon Street (Bayou Cane)

Marie Louise Street – At 5628 West Main Street to Betty Ann Street (Bayou Cane)

Orange Street – Highway 57 to Levee (Dulac)

Point Barre Road – Off of Highway 55 below Montegut

Presque Isle Drive – West of Highway 24 to the dead end

San Antonio Blvd – Between St. Charles Street and Amarillo Drive

Sharlene Street – Off of Highway 660 (Coteau Road)

Southdown Mandalay Road – Between Thacker and the gate to the fields (across from the park)

Terry Street – Between Chauff Street and Elgin Street (Bayou Cane)

Victory Street – From 5858 Highway 56 to the dead end

Wilderness Street – Between Z Street and S. Roosevelt Drive (Montegut)

Z Street – Between Leger Street and Wilderness Street (Montegut)

Traffic near the corner of Barrow and Honduras streets merge to avoid roadway construction. The sight is becoming more common in Houma, as state and federal officials are pouring millions in funding into a variety of roadway projects. * Photo by MICHAEL DAVIS