Ouachita Parish has more road, sewer and drainage projects in development all at once than ever before, Police Jury President Shane Smiley said.
There are over 40 infrastructure projects in development in Ouachita Parish.
Road improvement and road construction projects are always the most noticeable to voters, Smiley said.
“Those are things that they can visibly see,” he said. “Those are projects that they are going like they’re being used more on a daily basis. A lot of those road projects that are being listed in our infrastructure improvement program, are projects that are being paid for either through east or westside sales tax that voters voted to pass themselves or we’re using money from those sales tax as much match money. That’s just one instance, probably the biggest thing that the voters have done here in Ouachita Parish − they’ve voted for that sales tax to make it equal parish wide. We’ve been able to do tons of road and drainage projects from some of those funds.”
Although drainage and sewer projects are as equally important, they are not as noticeable until the parish starts to see heavy rain.
“Historically, there’s been years where we’ve been pumping water in December,” Smiley said. “Right now, I’ve bet the bayous are about seven feet below their normal level. Those are aren’t going to be as noticeable right now.”
According to Parish Treasurer Brad Cammack, the amounts budgeted for 2024 may not represent the entire cost of a project, but are only the amounts budgeted for the year and the the projects may not be complete in 2024.
Road Improvements
- Public Works’ Road Sealing Programs: $3,156,500
- Public Works Road and Roadside Improvements: $2,000,000
- Wall Williams Road: $109,900
- Finks Hideaway Road: $16,993
- Wallace Road: $250,000
- Caples Road: $1,273,600
- Dellwood Drive: $544,000
- Richwood Road No. 2: $372,400
- Vancil Road Interchange: $300,000
- Various Road Segments in Presidential Estates: $2,135,925
- Hodge Watson Road Segment: $1,335,000
- Undesignated West Side Sales Tax Road Improvement: $3,490,000
- Connie Lynn Drive: $1,818,262
- Lone Wa Road: $1,818,262
- Country Club Boulevard: $948,132
- Fontana Road: $3,781,600
- J1-E Sycamore Lane: $736,800
Sewerage and Drainage
- Brownlee Road Drainage: $175,000
- Colonial Drive Drainage: $875,000
- Milhaven Drainage Ditch: $58,000
- Northside Terrace Drainage & Sheets: $100,000
- Indian Creek Drainage: $522,000
- East Town & Country Drainage: $1,141,960
- Racoon Bayou Drainage: $4,420,062
- River Styx Pump Station Improvements: $2,653,012
- Black Bayou Cutoff: $725,625
- Matching Various Water and Sewer Improvements: $7,372,920
Renovations and Improvements
- Ouachita Parish Coroner Building improvements: $500,000
- Registrar of Voters improvements: $875,000
- Public Works Office Building Improvements: $2,000,000
- Main Library Branch Improvements: $7,800,000
- Animal Control and Shelter Facility Improvements: $3,200,000
- Cheniere Lake Well for Fish Nursey: $60,000
- Generators at Ouachita Correctional Center: $1,200,000
- Air Conditioning Improvements at Ouachita Correctional Facility: $350,000
- Portable Pumps Storage Building: $508,022
- Fire Department Training Center: $865,000
- Biedenharn Ball Park Improvements: $792,051
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