By KAREN LAGRANGE COX
Photos by LARRY COX
Today’s groundbreaking ceremony was held at the corner of Youngsville Highway and Fortune Road in Youngsville, Louisiana.
In his speech today, Youngsville Mayor Ken Ritter said this project is an economic development opportunity and an investment in infrastructure. Ritter thanked city council members whose support made this project possible.
Ritter also thanked his staff, members of the Louisiana Legislature Senator Page Cortez, Representatives Stuart Bishop, Jean-Paul Cousson and Beau Beaulleiu; City-Parish President Josh Guillory; Broussard Mayor Ray Bourque and Broussard Council member Jesse Regan; Pam Granger with McBade Engineers and Consultants; and Glenn Legé with Glenn Legé Construction.
The Youngsville Highway, once Highway 89, will be reconstructed and widened from the two existing lanes to four to five lanes. The widening and reconstruction of the Youngsville Highway will be done in two phases. The project’s first phase will be from Fortune Road to Ambassador Caffery. The second phase will be from Fortune Road at Sabal Palms to Iberia Street / Highway 92.
Fortune Road will be extended to South Bernard Road in Broussard, Louisiana. This east-west Broussard-Youngsville Connector will improve traffic relief in both Broussard and Youngsville. The extension is being done through a partnership with the City of Youngsville and the City of Broussard.
Along with the Fortune Road extension, a two-lane roundabout will be constructed at the Youngsville Highway and Fortune Road and connect Fortune Road to South Bernard Road.
The dirt dug out for Bailey Grove Regional Detention Pond Project at Bayou Parc Perdu and the dirt dug out for the LaSalle Coulee Regional Retention Pond Project are being repurposed by bringing the dirt to where the Fortune Road extension and the Fortune Road / Youngsville Highway roundabout. Repurposing the dirt brought a cost savings of one million dollars for the extension and roundabout.
The project is a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR), which moves the management of the project from the cubicle to the field, according to Ritter.
McBade Engineers And Consultants is the engineering company for the project. The construction company is Glenn Legé Construction. Both companies are located in Youngsville.
On hand for today’s groundbreaking were Youngsville Mayor Ken Ritter and City Council Members Kayla Menard-Reaux, Lindy Bolgiano, Matt Romero, Ken Stanburgy and Simone Champagne; Louisiana State Senator President Page Cortez; Louisiana State Representatives Stuart Bishop (chairman of Ways and Means House Ways and Means Committee), Beau Beuallieu (vice-chairman of Ways and Means House Ways and Means Committee), Jean-Paul Cousson (chairman of Natural Resources and Environment); Lafayette City-Parish President Josh Guillory, Lafayette Parish School Board Member Justin Centanni; Broussard Mayor Ray Bourque; and Broussard City Council Member Jesse Regan.
