Construction recently got underway on more than $21 million of levee and pump station projects in St. Charles Parish.
Parish President V.J. St. Pierre said initiating these projects marks significant headway toward the parish’s hurricane protection. Work has begun on the Willowridge Pump Station Phase II, Willowridge Levee Phase III and Ellington Levee Phase I.
“Beginning construction on these three projects marks a significant milestone that we have been able to accomplish in providing flood protection for the West Bank of this parish since taking office in January 2008,” St. Pierre said. “This is exactly where we want to be – completing one reach of the levee and starting construction on the next.”
Parish Grants Officer Holly Fonseca said the parish’s progress on these projects was substantially funded through grants.
“The progress we’ve made thus far on West Bank levee construction would not have been possible without the millions of dollars in funding provided by the Louisiana DOTD (Department of Transportation and Development) and CPRA (Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority),” Fonseca said. “Leveraging parish dollars with funding secured from other sources will be critical to completing flood protection on the West Bank and the East Bank.”
On the Willowridge Pump Station Phase II, the $5.5 million construction contract was awarded to Sealevel Construction Inc. Bids were taken on the project in June.
Some 90 percent of the construction costs are eligible for state DOTD Statewide Flood Control Program funding, according to Fonseca.
Construction is projected to be completed by Dec. 31.Project work will involve installation of the pump station, intake channel and discharge over the recently installed Willowridge Levee system protecting Willowridge Estates subdivision area.
The pump station will provide flood protection to about 209 acres, 364 structures and 4 miles of public streets in Willowridge Estates subdivision area.
On the Willowridge Levee Phase III work, the $7.4 million project is underway with work expected to be completed by Feb. 16, 2017.
Sealevel Construction also got the construction contract.Fonseca said 70 percent of the project construction cost is eligible for funding through the DOTD’s Statewide Flood Control Program.
Fonseca said these Willowridge projects will complete the approximate 2-mile Willowridge reach of the West Bank Hurricane Protection Levee alignment and provide more than 7 feet of flood protection. Construction on Ellington Levee Phase I, an $8.4 million project, began on Dec. 1 and is targeted for completion by Nov. 30, 2017.
Work entails construction of an earthen levee.Fonseca said $8 million of construction costs will be funded through the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. The bid was awarded to Cycle Construction Co.
The project is the first of a series of projects needed to complete the approximate 3-mile Ellington reach of the West Bank Hurricane Protection Levee alignment. Phase I will provide protection to about 1,413 acres, 2,438 structures and 49 miles of public streets in Boutte and Luling south of U.S. Highway 90.
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