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City engineers outline schedules and costs for bridges, water and drainage projects
Summary
KOMO engineers told the Broussard City Council May 12 that contractors are slated to start the Lafayette Street extension May 18, detailed a hydraulic study that informed bridge replacement choices, and reported a contractor default on the Eola lift station now being handled by the bond company.
City engineers briefed the Broussard City Council on May 12 with timelines and cost estimates for a package of street, bridge, drainage and water-system projects that city staff said are intended to reduce flooding risk and expand water storage and resiliency.
Daniel Hutchinson of KOMO Engineering told the council the city issued a notice to proceed for the Lafayette Street extension and that the contractor was anticipating a May 18 start, weather permitting. "Madison Street will no longer be a through street," Hutchinson said, describing the intended reconnection of Lafayette to Maine.
Hutchinson spent the bulk of the presentation on a hydraulic study for crossings along Kulie Fortune, saying phased changes to channels and crossings could lower average water levels by about one foot — and in some spots nearly two feet — for a 100‑year storm. To reduce upstream impacts while improving flow, engineers proposed replacing the failing Ridge View crossing with a box culvert. "We're estimating right now [the box culvert] is going to cost about $600,000," Hutchinson said, adding that building a full bridge would likely cost "north of a million dollars, probably close to a million and a half." He said the culvert approach was selected to avoid raising water levels upstream.
On project timing, Hutchinson estimated two to three months for design work on several bridge projects before bidding and borings, with construction to follow after procurement. For the North St. Gene timber bridge, he said material lead times put timber delivery around mid‑June and construction at roughly five weeks once work starts.
Hutchinson also reviewed water‑system projects: a 12‑inch main on Garber Road (bids open May 21), and phased well improvements including a 500,000‑gallon ground storage tank, booster pump station and generator. He corrected an earlier figure during the meeting: "500,000 gallons," he said, clarifying tank capacity.
Staff briefed council on the FY2025–26 street overlay program, which they said came in at about $1.35 million for two phases; increased patching and higher asphalt prices produced roughly a $350,000 overrun for Phase 2. Hutchinson and council members discussed options for addressing the shortfall in future budgets.
Gerald, a city project manager, reported on the Eola lift station contractor default. "We placed the contractor in default," he said, and the project's payment and performance bond company had engaged another contractor to complete the work. "The new contract is more than the original contract, but they're going to put up the difference so that the city does not suffer any loss," Gerald said. He added staff will coordinate with the loaning agency to ensure the city's loan terms are not adversely affected.
Other items included preliminary work on sidewalks and right‑of‑way for the Albertson's Parkway well project (also planned with a 500,000‑gallon tank), and a proposed 'Historic Broussard 2A' drainage project to replace poorly sized outfalls.
Council thanked staff for the comprehensive update and emphasized the importance of moving projects into construction on the timelines presented. Staff said additional details, bid documents and formal procurement steps would follow and that several projects will return for specific contract approvals in future meetings.
