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Officials say they will declare state of emergency over bridges after Boudreaux Canal closure
Summary
Council members and officials described the June 11 closure of the Boudreaux Canal Bridge and said the parish will declare a state of emergency to press state and federal agencies for inspections and repairs; officials warned islanded communities could face long detours and constrained emergency access if additional bridges fail.
Terrebonne Parish officials said on June 11 they will declare a state of emergency related to failing bridges after the Boudreaux Canal Bridge was taken out of service, and they urged the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and other state and federal partners to act quickly.
Council members said the Boudreaux Canal Bridge closure creates significant detours: a council member described a route that requires drivers to travel roughly 80–90 miles to cover a crossing that would otherwise be a few hundred feet. Officials warned that if nearby state bridges such as the Dulac Swing Bridge were to fail, portions of the parish could effectively become islands with severely limited access for emergency services.
Councilmember Kim Chauvin (who has been working on the issue) and others said they have been working with DOTD staff, state lawmakers and federal partners to secure inspections and funding. Councilmember Sherwood said she has been pressing the Department of Transportation and Development and local stakeholders for about a year and a half to prepare contingency plans for an expected bridge failure, noting, “we knew it was not an if.”
Councilmember Danny Babin described the detour impacts and public‑safety consequences if additional bridges go out of service: he said the extended travel distances could prevent timely fire and emergency response and could force businesses to close on the affected side of the parish. Officials said they would press DOTD, the governor’s office and the U.S. Coast Guard for expedited inspections and repairs and that work is already underway to coordinate with businesses and residents.
The council did not hold a formal vote on a declaration at the June 11 session; a council member said the parish planned to declare a state of emergency relating to bridges "as of tomorrow" to accelerate outreach and funding requests to state and federal partners.
Officials asked residents and businesses to be patient while they pursue inspections and funding and said they would continue to provide updates.
