PRAIRIEVILLE - After a rough start to the school year at the new Prairieville High School, the Ascension Parish government is taking steps to address traffic backups in the area. 

Chief Traffic Engineer for the Ascension Parish government Daniel Helms said the parish expected to see some slowdowns while hundreds of parents, students and staff navigated an entirely new campus. Most of the issues such as stacking in the parking lot and confusion over entrances were resolved during the first day.

The parish is keeping a close eye on traffic conditions with the use of drones. 

"Traffic was flowing a lot better yesterday versus the first day of school," Helms said.

However, as parish officials look ahead, they know more permanent adjustments are needed to the infrastructure surrounding the school. Plans for patching and an overlay on Parish Road 929 from the Parker Road roundabout to Airline Highway began this week.

Following the overlay, the parish is planning to widen Parker Road and Parish Road 929 to support a higher capacity of vehicles.

"They're probably looking at an 18 to 24-month construction period. It kind of just depends on what they find when they get underground," Helms said.

As crews are getting started with construction, the parish will continue to monitor traffic flow and make modifications as needed. Helms urges drivers to report any issues to the parish government.