With several people expressing support for the move, the St. Charles Parish Council awarded a $1.6 million contract to resurface the heavily trafficked Ormond Boulevard in Destrehan.
Webb Jay, president of the Ormond Civic Association, appealed to council members at Tuesday’s council meeting to repave the road.
Barriere Construction Co. in Boutte was awarded the contract, which calls for resurfacing and constructing three miles of the roadway from LA 48 to U.S. 61 junctions.Parish Grants Officer Holly Fonseca said federal funding will cover 80 percent of the construction cost, which was secured through the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) and the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission.
The roadway connecting to two major thoroughfares – Airline Highway and River Road- qualified the project for federal grant money. The remaining cost will be covered by a self-assessment paid by Ormond Subdivision residents.
According to former Parish President V.J. St. Pierre Jr., “Ormond Boulevard has only been repaved once – when the state commissioned it due to the heavy traffic from the completion of the Hale Boggs [Memorial] Bridge, so to be able to secure federal funding and repave it again is an accomplishment.”
Wendy Benedetto, then District 3 councilwoman where the project is, said St. Pierre spearheaded the work with her support.
Benedetto projected the road work would take about three months to complete.
“It is an improvement that is well needed,” she said. “I’m excited for construction on this project to commence and want to advise residents that there will be detours and minor inconveniences during construction.”
A DOTD traffic map shows estimated traffic on the road rose from 8,958 vehicles a day in 1985 to 17,561 in 2008.
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