After the Army Corps of Engineers confirmed that there are no immediate plans to raise St. Charles’ West Bank levee, it seemed like the parish could move ahead with the construction of a paved bicycle and pedestrian path from Hahnville to Luling.
However, though the parish is itching to get started on the project, its fate rests in the hands of the state’s Department of Transportation and Development.
Chief Administrative Officer Tim Vial said that the state, which plans to include the project in the Obama administration’s economic stimulus plan, is the only one that can advertise for bids on the project.
“The latest they told us is that they were going to use economic stimulus money to finance the project and they are supposed to go out for bids in April,” Vial said. “DOTD has to advertise for the bids though, so they really control the project.”
Once the bids do come in, the Parish Council would have to approve one. Vial said that the parish would use its own funds to construct the project and then get reimbursed with a grant.
State Transportation Enhancement Program Manager Valerie Horton said that, as of now, the state does plan to go out for bids on the project next month.
“After that, the bids will go to our review committee for acceptance and then a letter goes to the sponsor (St. Charles Parish) informing them of the bids,” she said. “If everything is cleared, then construction can begin.
“The sponsor would be in charge of the project from that point on, including paying construction costs, and then we would reimburse them.”
The 6.2-mile-long project has been designed since 2004, and the first phase would travel from Elm Street in Hahnville to Davis Drive in Luling.
Parish President V.J. St. Pierre said that a bike path on the West Bank is something that is needed in St. Charles Parish.
“The bike path is a great way for families to spend quality time together in the afternoons and weekends, stay in shape, enjoy the scenery the great Mississippi River offers and meet new people,” St. Pierre said. “It greatly enhances our quality of life in St. Charles Parish. We’ve definitely seen that to be true on the East Bank.”
The paved bicycle and pedestrian path on the East Bank starts in Jefferson Parish and ends in Ormond. The state recently approved funding on the second and third phases of the East Bank project, which would include West Harding in New Sarpy and Apple Street in Norco.
The plan is for both paths to eventually span the entire length of the parish on the levees.
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