PRAIRIEVILLE - Construction of the new Prairieville High School is well underway. However, a new school can't function with old roads. 

“Just like a lot of Ascension Parish, we’ve grown quite a bit. At this particular location because of the expansion, we have a brand-new high school, and we have roads that were built eons ago, decades before. So, we are needing to upgrade the roads and especially the intersections," said Joey Tureau, Director of Transportation in Ascension Parish.

It's no secret that the population in Ascension has outgrown the narrow roadways and four-way stops that make up most of the parish. Officials hope roundabouts could be the solution to traffic troubles.

A roundabout at the intersection of Henry Road and Highway 930 near Prairieville Middle School is newly up and running. It was named "Panther Roundabout" after the middle school's mascot, the Panther.

“So, that one is fully functional. We have street lighting on it. We have vegetation in the center. All of that is completed, and the traffic is enjoying the safety and capacity of that roundabout," Tureau said.

The next roundabout is planned for Parker Road at Highway 929 at the site of what will be Prairieville High School. Those two roads will also be widened to improve capacity and safety.

Tureau says he doesn't plan to stop at that one, either.

“We have quite a bit, especially in this area, in the near future. All of it has to do with either safety and/or capacity improvement. I just counted — we’re going to have nine new roundabouts in Ascension Parish on the east side,” he said.

The roundabout near Prairieville High School is expected to be complete before the school opens in the fall of 2024. It is unclear when roadwork will begin.