Terrebonne sewerage drainage spending OK’d

The Terrebonne Parish Council agreed last week to earmark $19 million in excess revenues to various sewerage, drainage and road and bridge projects.

The money comes from excess collections in sales taxes, state mineral royalties, video poker and general obligation bonds.

Parish Chief Financial Officer Jamie Elfert outlined the status of current and future capital projects OK’d by the council.

Among the sewerage projects to be funded is the East Houma Wastewater Trunk System. The project is designed to relieve growth constraints in the East Houma and Coteau service areas. In addition, the improvements will provide service to the port, Grand Caillou corridor and Thomas Industrial Road Development. The total cost is just over $11 million.

Also, with $3.5 million in hand and a proposed $1 million on the way, Phase I of the Ashland Pump Station and the Force Main projects will be completed.

Drainage projects include:

• Elevating Thompson Road n a combined levee and road project n is estimated to cost in excess of $6.3 million. The elevated roadway will provide levee protection to both homes and businesses, including the airport.

• The Intracoastal Canal Levee Project, near Motivated Seafood, which will protect a number of homes and businesses. The project is estimated to cost $2.2 million.

• The St. Louis Bayou Drainage Project, which is part of the 1-1B Systems Channel, will excavate the Main 1-1B Drainage Artery (St. Louis Bayou) between the St. Louis Canal northward to Country Estates Drive and beyond toward Gray. This project is estimated to cost $2 million.

• Bayou Terrebonne Drainage Improvements is an on-going project that provides for the removal of the weirs and debris in these waterways to alleviate drainage issues. In addition to the $1.7 million in place, the project is estimated to cost an additional $1 million.

• The 1-1B Systems Channel Project began in the year 2001 with funding to date in excess of $2.7 million. This project is estimated to cost an additional $1 million.

• The Bayou LaCarpe Project is a four-phase effort to provide drainage improvements. Cost estimates presented in the year 2004 exceeded $12.7 million. To date, the parish has budgeted $4.28 million and proposes the addition of $1.45 million for a total of $5.73 million, or 45 percent of the original estimates.

• The Ward 7 Levee Project, which has accounted for $7.2 million, including a future allocation of an additional $1 million from the 2007 General Obligation Bond Issue.

Road and Bridge projects include:

• The Highway 311/Enterprise Drive Bridge, a project with $550,000 in place. The administration recommends an additional $100,000 be allocated based on recent cost estimates.

• The Bayouside Bridge project is estimated to cost in excess of $4.5 million, of which $2.7 is currently available. The administration said the project could improve traffic flow during the construction of the Prospect Street Bridge.

• The Valhi Road Extension is a multi-phase, multi-year project that is expected to resolve some of the current traffic congestion along Highway 311. To date, the parish has budgeted in excess of $5.4 million. To continue with right of ways and construction, the administration recommends an additional $2 million be spent.