HOUMA, LA (WVUE) – As several bridges in Terrebonne Parish have been closed, Parish President Jason Bergeron has declared a state of emergency with the aim of accelerating repair and construction efforts.
On Thursday (June 12), the parish declared this situation, as seven bridges were shut down because of maintenance work, repair needs, or remaining damage.
Those bridges include:
- Boudreaux Canal Bridge
- Dulac Pontoon Bridge
- Buquet Bridge
- St. Anthony Bridge
- Daigleville Bridge
- Bayou Blue Pontoon Bridge
- Company Canal Bridge
For Sterling Billiot, who lives in Bourg, the closure of the Company Canal Bridge has caused traffic nightmares and outrage among neighbors, with the closure lasting more than a year past its scheduled construction end date.“I can’t wait to see it open,” Billiot said. “It’s rough without that bridge.”
For numerous individuals depending on these connections, navigating Terrebonne Parish poses significant difficulties, particularly when traffic peaks. “Traveling to my job requires an additional 30 to 40 minutes,” noted Darrell Morrison, a resident of Bourg. “Even emergency vehicles like fire trucks struggle due to heavy traffic.”
The escalating bridge crisis prompted Bergeron to declare a state of emergency, enabling him as parish president to seek expedited solutions and accelerate bridge repair efforts. “This declaration amplifies our voice and underscores for everyone that this is the critical issue we face as a parish,” Bergeron stated.
Bergeron mentions that each of the seven bridges presents distinct challenges along with their individual funding sources. The majority of these problems arise from the destruction brought about by Hurricane Ida in 2021. “There is some new building work,” Bergeron explained, “as well as certain areas of damage, malfunctions on the bridges, and general signs of wear and tear.”
A significant hurdle for bridge repair efforts lies in synchronizing activities among various state, local, and federal entities to initiate projects. According to Bergeron, the approval from multiple organizations must be obtained—including the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers, as well as certain local historical groups—which makes this procedure quite time-consuming. However, he expresses hope that declaring a state of emergency might expedite these approvals. “During emergencies, doesn’t it alter how procedures typically progress? Our aim here is precisely that: cutting through red tape,” he explained.
The LaDOTD and Governor Jeff Landry’s office did not reply to requests for comments regarding the state of emergency.
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