By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The St. John the Baptist Parish Council returns to Edgard Tuesday night with a busy agenda on tap.

The council will vote on authorization for the parish to execute agreements with the state Department of Transportation and Development for improvements to three major intersections along Airline Highway in LaPlace.

St. John Chief Administrative Officer Marie Brown Mercadel said the parish wants to improve the safety and functionality of the intersections by rebuilding and extending an existing right turn lane with curb and gutters and increasing capacity along Airline Highway at the Belle Terre Boulevard, Old Highway 51 and Hemlock Street intersections. The improvements are part of a Transportation System Management study.

“The request for approval of these agreements is one of many steps that must be taken before construction on any of these highway intersections can begin,” Mercadel said. “The submission of these agreements with DOTD will lock in the parish funding being requested for the projects.”

Mercadel said the parish is requesting about $3.6 million for all of the improvements. She said $2.3 million would go to Belle Terre Boulevard, $1 million for Old Highway 51 and $600,000 for Hemlock Street. The projects are listed in the order of their priority.

The parish spent about $2 million from the 2009 bond issue fro the design phase of the project. Mercadel said the estimated timeframe for completion is 2013.

The parish is also seeking authorization to submit a grant application to the state Office of Community Development to help pay for the second phase of renovations to the parish’s Health and Human Services building and also help fund an elevated walkway for the newly completed Edgard raw water intake pump station. She said the parish is asking for about $139,000.

“The renovations to the health center will create additional capacity and allow the facility to treat a larger volume of parish residents,” Mercadel said. “Renovations include additional office space, electrical upgrades and a reception area.” 

Mercadel said total cost of all renovations is about $223,000 . The parish has already received $151,000. The additional $72,000 will come out of the pending grant.

The remaining $67,000 is going toward construction of the elevated walkway for the intake well, which is on the river side of the levee on the west bank. Mercadel said a raised walkway is needed in high-water periods when the river floods the base of the levee and employees need to access the intake well.

“Total cost of this project is $125,000,” Mercadel said. The grant request is for $67,000, and the parish is to match funds of $58,000 to complete the project.”