Council accepts $826,291.87 bid for Cold Blanch bridge work; parish official says barge dry-docking will follow

The Lush Parish Council on Nov. 11 accepted the low bid from Sage Construction LLC of $826,291.87 for the Cold Blanch bridge rehabilitation project and authorized the parish president to execute the agreement.

During discussion, Councilman Lraine urged the council to dry-dock the parish barge while rehabilitation work is planned. "If you're going to tear it down to build the ramps, send it to the shipyard," Lraine said, noting concerns about repeated temporary pumping and maintenance. Other members warned that dry-docking costs were high and might jeopardize the immediate bridge repairs.

Parish public‑works staff, identified in the meeting as Mr. Ozone (also referenced as Mr. Oro/Ozon in the transcript), said the $826,291.87 scope excludes dry-docking but explained why the parish prioritized the bridge deck and essential electrical work now. "We will dry dock the barge," the official told the council, adding that the cost to dry-dock was "astronomical" and that officials plan to schedule dry-docking strategically so the bridge is not left out of service for an extended period.

Council members pressed staff on prior promises to send the barge to a shipyard after previous incidents. Staff said bids earlier included dry-docking (about $1.8 million in a prior solicitation) and that the current low bid reflects the work considered essential at this time.

The motion to accept Sage Construction LLC's bid and authorize execution passed with eight yays and one member out of chambers at the time of the vote. No dry-docking contract was awarded at the meeting; staff committed to pursuing a future dry-dock plan and to continue work to keep the bridge operational during repairs.

The council also noted the work will require future scheduling and potential additional funding to complete long‑term barge maintenance.