BELLE CHASSE, La. – Today, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announces the start of construction on a $10.5 million road preservation project in Plaquemines Parish at La. 23 from Ravenna Road to South Orange Lane. The project will raise the roadway by approximately two feet in areas most prone to flooding and resurface over 5.6 miles of existing roadway.

“We are pleased to begin the process of bringing this elevation project to the Plaquemines and neighboring parish areas as La. 23 connects to the primary evacuation route [US 90] and is a vital corridor to several industry partners,” said DOTD Secretary Sherri H. LeBas. “For residents and our nation’s vital oil industry this project will assist in bringing the roadway online sooner following a high water event and will also benefit transportation and coal facilities along the river. Instead of a two to three week closure, completion of this project could reduce that time to two to three days.”

The project extends approximately seven miles from Alliance to 1.5 miles south of Lake Hermitage Road, which includes the Myrtle Grove area. Barriere Construction Co., LLC will perform the work, which should take approximately six to eight months to complete. Work will entail installing drainage structures, an asphaltic concrete overlay of both sides of the roadway within the project limits, pavement patching, and other related work. The project will also address the southbound portion of the four-lane divided highway.

The project is designed to improve operator efficiency and drainage along La. 23, which follows the bends of the Mississippi River down the westbank of Plaquemines Parish. It is a major industrial corridor that also doubles as the primary evacuation route in Plaquemines Parish during emergency events. La. 23 was inundated with water during recent hurricanes and several tropical storms, with portions of the road being impassable and closed for extended periods of time following the events. The project is estimated to be fully complete by winter 2014.

As part of the state’s flood protection planning, DOTD worked quickly, with support from state legislators and local elected officials, to secure funding and develop plans to complete the project as soon as possible. Funding being used for the project is a combination of federal, state and local monies.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is committed to delivering transportation and public works systems that enhance the quality of life. In addition to more than 16,600 miles of roadway, including over 930 miles of interstate and 13,000 bridges, DOTD supports the development of the state’s aviation, marine and rail infrastructures. Through this work, we are able to facilitate economic development, create job opportunities, improve vital evacuation routes, and make critical freight corridors safer and more efficient.

For more information, please visit www.dotd.la.gov, email dotdcs@la.gov, or call DOTD’s Customer Service Center at (225) 379-1232 or 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683). Business hours are 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Motorists can access up-to-date travel information by dialing 511 or by visiting www.511la.org. Out of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511).

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www.dotd.la.gov