ASCENSION PARISH - Situated just near I-10, Alligator Bayou Road has been a shortcut between Ascension and Iberville parishes for residents in the area for decades. 

“I know people are anxious to use this road to get to the Prairieville, Baton Rouge area," Iberville Parish President Mitch Ourso said.

That convenience has been unavailable since May 2021, when the road had to be cut to allow floodwater to drain into Bayou Manchac.

“This area all drains Bluff Swamp in Ascension Parish and everything prior to this project had to drain out of one six-by-six culvert under Alligator Bayou Road and into Bayou Manchac," Ron Savoy, Director of DPW in Ascension Parish, said.

A year later, crews are putting the finishing touches on the Fish Bayou flood control structure. The $2.5 million project was built to make life easier when the rain hits hard. Instead of demolishing the road every time it floods, crews will now be able to open that floodgate. 

"We are preparing for in the future, we don’t have to cut the roads anymore. Not only in Ascension, but in Iberville they had cuts in the road," Savoy said.

The Ascension Parish government got the work done in a timely manner, despite many obstacles such as Hurricane Ida and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Not only did we have to move forward with construction through two catastrophic events in the same calendar year, plus a pandemic going on with material shortages and whatnot, we accomplished our goal and got that project built and is in service for hurricane season 2022," said Savoy.

Savoy says the structure is fully installed and functional, all that's left to do is restripe the road clean up. In just a few weeks, the road will be opened back up to through traffic.