Lafayette Consolidated Government and Mayor-President Joel Robideaux have presented a plan to avoid major, parish-wide flooding issues like those that inundated the parish in August 2016.

Thursday afternoon  Robideaux presented LCG's implementation plan for deferred drainage projects throughout the parish.

This plan is the next step in addressing drainage since the successful millage rededication passed by Lafayette Parish voters in November.

What Funds Will Be Used For Project Implementation?

The rededication provides $9 million in funding for deferred maintenance drainage projects plus $2.5 million for drainage each year.

Along with those funds LCG will employ the use of monies from FEMA. FEMA awarded $1.9 million for implementation of local projects including:

  • $1.05 million for Derby Heights
  • $650,000 for Bayou Carencro
  • $2851,000 for Ile des Cannes

Another $25 million has been provided by FEMA for regional drainage projects.

How Are Drainage Projects Prioritized?

Robideaux, along with LCG Public Works Director Mark Dubroc, and LCG's engineers have created a rating system to help prioritize the completion of drainage projects across the parish.

Criteria used for project prioritization include:

  • Number of addresses
  • percent of basin in flood zone
  • number of FEMA claims
  • repetitive loss
  • cost per address
  • project complexity
  • permitting -- wetlands, pipeline, right-of-ways, etc.

The system, that Dubroc said was created within the last six months, has rated projects into two groups--Group A & Group B.

Group A is a list of 27 projects that would cost the parish $9.6 million to ameliorate 44 miles of drainage issues.

Group B consists of 24 projects that would drum up a bill of a little over $11 million.

Though the projects are listed by priority, Robideaux, and Dubroc, stressed the list is fluid. If for any number a reasons a project may hit a snag in the process, Robideaux said wo0rk would continue on that project, but crews would move on to projects further down the list.

In addition to knocking out those 51 prioritized projects, there is a long list of what LCG is labeling "day-to-day maintenance." Those projects include:

  • roadside ditch excavation
  • sinkhole repairs
  • off-road channel excavation
  • use of flusher trucks to flush channels

The day-to-day maintenance projects list includes 137 projects, with all but 24 of those being completed by the time of the press conference.

To view a map of the major drainage projects that have been completed click here.

How Long Will It Take To Complete?

The timeline for the GROUP A and Group B projects should be mostly completed by the end of the year. Dubroc said completing all of the projects listed "will be an elaborate process."

Here's How The Public Can Monitor Progress

In what Robideaux called an effort to curb distrust that the public may harbor for local government, he presented a plan to develop a dashboard software program that will present details for all of the projects including: project progress, description of the work being done, project budgets, etc. He cited a similar Web page used by local government in Topeka, Kan.

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