Contractors for the Bossier Parish Police Jury have begun replacing asphalt on the first of approximately 30 south Bossier roads that will be either repaired or completely reconstructed after the damage caused by historic floods in 2015 and 2016.
Removing the existing surface began Tuesday (Aug. 10) on Lucky Lane, located off Sligo Rd., and that begins a group of 12 scheduled for repair under the first package of projects, or Task Orders.
Money for repair of the flood damaged asphalt roads comes from nearly $32 million in funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that was awarded Bossier Parish after a successful appeal before a federal panel last year.
At the time, parish officials called the appeal panel’s unanimous ruling, which overturned several FEMA denials of requests for assistance from Bossier Parish, a historic decision.
“As far as I know, this was the first time FEMA was overruled on a decision to deny disaster assistance,” said District 12 Police Jury member Mac Plummer. “We needed that money to get these repairs made. It took a long time, but the result is we’ll have better roads for our people.”
Many of the first group of projects are located in Plummer’s south Bossier Parish district.
Also in the first group of roads are Whispering Pines, Pine Cone, Cane Bend, Welch Rd., Mayflower Rd. and Rolling Meadow. Also, Sistrunk Lane, Rye Circle, Coastal Dr., Oaklawn Dr. and Timber Ridge Dr.
Assistant Parish Engineer Eric Hudson said bids for the second Task Order of repairs are scheduled to be opened around the end of the month. Hudson said 11 parish roads are included in Task Order 2.