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Council Awards LCDBG Street‑Improvement Contract; Advertises Additional 2025 Road Work Amid Drainage Concerns
Summary
The council awarded an LCDBG-funded street improvements contract to Regional Construction and authorized advertising for the city’s 2025 street rehabilitation program; staff and councilors emphasized drainage issues and coordination with levee authorities where ditches affect roadway condition.
The Natchitoches City Council on May 12 awarded a federally funded LCDBG street‑improvements contract to Regional Construction for $1,020,511.40 and authorized advertising for additional 2025 street rehabilitation work while highlighting drainage problems that accelerate pavement failure.
City staff reported that two bids were opened April 15 for the LCDBG (Local Community Development Block Grant) street improvements, with Regional Construction the low bidder at $1,020,511.40 and Apex Construction at $1,030,287.72. A council member moved to adopt the ordinance awarding the bid (bid number 0671) and the motion carried on roll call; staff indicated construction should begin in June if the council approved the contract.
Council members and staff said the LCDBG award will cover pavement work on roughly six streets in low‑to‑moderate income neighborhoods; the exact street list includes named segments such as Brahma, JCW and Highland among others. Nick Ferrett, identified in the meeting as the lead grant writer on the project, was cited as coordinating the grant. Committee members who reviewed the bids were listed in the record as Clarissa Smith, Ed Lee, Donald Forrest, February and Betty Smith.
Separately the council adopted Resolution No. 036 of 02/2025 to advertise bids for the city’s 2025 street rehabilitation program (bid number 0676). That resolution identifies multiple project locations in the city — East Fifth Street (from Wall northward), Woodyard Drive and a short Highland Park segment at Virginia Avenue — and directs the mayor to advertise for construction bids.
During discussion, council members and public‑works staff said standing water and poor drainage are central causes of the pavement deterioration on East Fifth and other segments. A public‑works representative noted some drainage channels are controlled by a levee board outside the city and that the levee board reported insufficient funds to dredge silted ditches, complicating the city’s ability to fix roads without concurrent drainage work.
City staff said the available budget limits the number of streets the city can fully rebuild this year; they also noted coordination with water‑line or other underground work to avoid repaving streets that will be dug up later. Roll call votes adopted both the LCDBG award ordinance and the resolution to advertise for 2025 street rehabilitation bids.
