May 4, 2023

Phase 2 of the LA 1 Improvement Project

Construction Progresses Ahead of Schedule

Contractor James Construction is making steady progress in building the LA 1 Elevated Highway from Golden Meadow to Leeville. Only 6% of the contract time has lapsed with 15% of the work complete. 


The site work to build a T-Wall in the South Lafourche Levee where the highway will pass over the levee will be completed May 27, prior to the beginning of the 2023 Hurricane Season. The T-Wall’s construction will provide a strengthened levee segment of approximately 300 feet in length. The contractor installed steel 68’ sheet piles parallel with the levee, below where the concrete footings were constructed to support the T-Wall. The purpose of the steel sheet piles is to eliminate any permeability of water from the marsh side, to the inside of the levee, below the T-Wall. The Contractor also installed 97’ steel I-Beams on the outside faces of the steel sheet pile wall, which will be used to support the Concrete T-Wall. The T-Wall was designed by a joint team of civil engineers from state and federal agencies in connection with LA DOTD’s Design Contractor HNTB. Engineering firm Linfield Hunter & Junius is specifically monitoring all T-Wall construction activity to ensure construction compliance with the LA DOTD/USACE-approved T-Wall construction plan.


The LA 1 Coalition would like to thank the South Lafourche Levee District for their multiple years of support of the project, including attending years of planning meetings with LA DOTD and the U.S. Corps of Engineers on the T-Wall construction specifications. We thank the Levee District and Apache Louisiana Minerals for generously allowing the construction contractor to haul T-Wall construction equipment and supplies to the site on property inside of the levee.

Contractor James Construction is currently completing construction of a T-Wall in the South Lafourche Levee where the Elevated LA 1 Highway will cross over the levee. The work on the levee will be done before Hurricane Season begins, providing a strengthened levee segment of 300 feet in length.  


COMING SOON! Leeville Construction Heading North!

James Construction is scheduled to begin work on the southern section of Phase 2 (from the existing Leeville Bridge heading north) in September 2023, after the Port Commission completes the dredging work on that section where the bridge will be built. When the work begins on the southern section, the contractor will have two sections of the bridge under construction at one time!


The LA 1 Coalition would like to thank the Greater Lafourche Port Commission for their $3 million+ contribution of providing the federally required mitigation work for the entire 19-mile project. That mitigation work includes restoring over 100 acres of wetlands through the beneficial utilization of dredge materials at various locations. One area you can see these restored wetlands is to the left of the toll gantry heading south on the elevated bridge in Leeville. This area has beautiful healthy marsh now, which used to be open water.


This tremendous work paid for by the Greater Lafourche Port Commission is in addition to the match funds the port is providing to LA DOTD of $25 million to be paid out over a 5-year period. The port’s significant match pledge, along with pledges from Lafourche Parish Government and over 15 companies, helped the project win the largest federal transportation grant that the USDOT issued in 2019 at $143 million!  That grant award was critical to getting this last segment of elevated LA 1’s finance plan complete. Thanks again to the Greater Lafourche Port Commission, Lafourche Parish Government, and 15 civic-minded corporations for partnering with our community and our state to move the project toward completion! 


The entire project’s construction is being monitored by the consulting engineering firm ECM Consultants. Their work includes monitoring critical tasks like pile driving and the pouring of the road deck. Our community will benefit from this work with a safer, more resilient highway access to our coast at Port Fourchon. The completion of Phase 2 of the LA 1 Improvement Project (Golden Meadow to Leeville) is scheduled for July 2027, according to the contract timeline.

The Steel Trestle System supporting the equipment building the bridge is fully assembled and operating. It is 2,165 feet in length and currently has 2 cranes working on it and 1 lifting gantry. A third crane and a second lifting gantry will be working on the trestle by mid-May.   


The ramp tying in the elevated highway into Hwy. 3235 in Golden Meadow is shaping up. These initial deck pours are 20’ long spans supported by the 18” precast Concrete Piles. Further into the ramp, the elevated highway will be supported by 30” Precast Concrete Piles. The elevated highway will travel through the burrow canal on the inside of the levee as its height builds up to 22 feet where it crosses over the levee. 

LA 1 Coalition Delivers Second Annual Match Payment to LA DOTD

LA 1 Coalition Executive Director Henri Boulet recently presented a check in the amount of $1,527,079.90 to LA DOTD Project Manager Anna Hanks for this year's payment of the industry match for Phase 2 of the LA 1 Improvement Project.


The Coalition garnered contribution pledges from companies and governmental entities several years ago to meet the state and local match to the federal government for the project cost, to be paid out annually over the construction period.

LA 1 Toll Gantry is Getting a Face Lift

LA DOTD has outsourced tolling operations on elevated LA 1 in Leeville and a new tolling system is now under construction. Work began May 1 with the demolition of the canopy, rain screens, and island in the currently impassable Lane One.


Some lane closures are expected later in May as the gantry mono-tube that holds cameras and other hardware will be raised four feet for the new outsourced vendor's tolling equipment. The closures are anticipated to be on on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday and during evening hours if at all possible, according to LA DOTD.

 

The new toll system operated by the outsourced vendor is expected to go live in September, depending on weather, product delivery and system testing. The new vendor will be taking over all roadway operations and customer service center operations including customer contact in person or through their call center and website.  Current employees of the customer service center will work for the vendor rather than LA DOTD.

 

All current business rules and GeauxPass Accounts will remain active. Grand Isle residents who currently qualify for an exempt account will be able to keep their accounts and the process will not change for future residents.

SPREADING THE WORD

LA 1 Coalition hosted Executive Updates this spring in New Orleans to keep industry

and community partners informed about Phase 2 construction progress.

During the state’s recent "LoveTheBoot" community clean-up weekend, LA 1 Coalition Executive Director Henri Boulet participated in a clean-up of Hurricane Ida debris along LA 1 in Cheniere, hosted by Restore or Retreat (ROR). Numerous volunteers helped. Pictured in the background are ROR Executive Director Joe Orgeron and Grand Isle Mayor David Camardelle.

The LA 1 Coalition remains active to update you on

LA 1 Improvement Project construction and to facilitate

match payments pledged by our industry partners.  

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

ABOUT THE COALITION
The LA 1 Coalition is organized for coordinating, providing, and disseminating public information in relation to improving the highway system between Grand Isle and U.S. Highway 90.  
The LA 1 Coalition is a 501(c)(4) organization. Donations are not tax deductible. 
The LA 1 Coalition is located within the offices of the South Louisiana Economic Council on the campus of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA. Executive Director is Henri Boulet.
LA 1 Coalition La1Coalition.orghenri@la1coalition.org • (985) 448-4485