Parish details levee, canal, Humble Street and DOTD highway plans; public meeting on West Shore Connector requested

Parish President Peter Dufresne briefed the St. James Parish Council on several infrastructure projects at the Feb. 4 meeting.

On the West Shore Connector Levee, he said the Department of Operations received the Coastal Use Permit and that the Corps of Engineers permit was expected within a week; mitigation expenses were secured and clearing and grubbing of the spoil bank was expected before the end of the year. Councilman Todd Poche asked the administration to hold a public meeting in May to update residents on the levee project once permitting and land acquisition progress allow more details.

Dufresne reported the bid opening for the Buddy Whitney Canal was held Feb. 3 and that the apparent low bidder was Barrier Construction for work that includes re-profiling canal banks and concrete lining. He also provided a Humble Street Phase Three update: materials have been received and staged at the laydown yard; excavation was delayed one day due to rain.

Dufresne said he and operations staff met with the DOTD Secretary to brief the Highway 3127 four-lane widening project; DOTD indicated willingness to bear engineering and inspection costs and the project is expected to go to bid in the first quarter of 2027. He added DOTD will re-engineer approach ramps at Bayou Chevreuil and keep one lane open to avoid lengthy detours during summer reconstruction.

The transcript does not include permit documents, engineering reports, bid tabulations, or detailed schedules; the council did not vote on these projects at the meeting but authorized future public outreach and procurement steps in separate resolutions and reports.