St. Mary gets millions in state capital funding

While Morgan City lost out on $15 million in state funding in a fight over state spending, St. Mary Parish is nevertheless in line for millions directed at new infrastructure and improvements.

At a St. Mary Chamber luncheon last month, state Sen. Beryl Amedee, R-Gray, blamed the Legislature’s leadership for removing some spending for her district in retaliation for her vote against lifting the state spending cap. Amedee’s district reaches into portions of east St. Mary.

But tens of millions in funding directed at St. Mary were included in the capital spending plan, including projects in east St. Mary.

The funding includes more than $1.1 million for improvements on Lake Palourde Road from La. 182 to Lakeview Drive in Amelia.

Another $55,000 is earmarked for a walking-bike path and other improvements along Duhon Boulevard in Amelia.

And $400,000 was directed at emergency power systems for drainage pump stations in the Amelia area.

St. Mary Hospital Service District No. 1 in west St. Mary will receive $2 million toward the new Wellness Center at Bayou Bend Health System in Franklin. A ribbon-cutting
for the new center was scheduled for Friday morning.

Also included in the capital outlay plan:

—$10.5 million for the dock expansion at the Port of Morgan City.

—$500,000 for warehouse improvements at the Port of Morgan City.

—$451,000 for new gas meters in Patterson.

—$5 million for water system improvements in Patterson.

—$2.4 million to rehabilitate nine sewer system lift stations in Patterson.

—$1 million for a new Central Fire Station for Fire Protection District No. 11 in Four Corners.

—$585,000 for new automated water meters in Berwick.

—$264,400 for improvements at Kemper Williams Park near Patterson.

—$175,000 for a new roof at the Fairview Treatment Center in Bayou Vista.

—$215,000 for improvements at the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness warehouse.

—$407,000 for reconstruction of Martin Luther King Roadway in Charenton.

—$250,000 for emergency power improvements at the St. Mary Parish Courthouse.

—$2 million for improvements at the Port of West St. Mary.

—$341,000 for renovations at the old Crowell Elementary building in Franklin.

—$2.3 million for repairs and construction on Cayce Street in Franklin.

—$5 million for construction on La. 3211 from La. 182 to Yokely Road, and $3.5 million for a roundabout at La. 3211 and Yokely Road.

The capital outlay spending also includes $23.9 million for a new crime lab for the Acadiana Criminalistics Laboratory District, of which St. Mary is a part. Sixteenth Judicial District Attorney Bo Duhé made a pitch for the new lab last year, saying the current lab in Iberia Parish is too small and falling into disrepair, threatening its ability to protect evidence stored there.

St. Mary is also included in two multi-parish appropriations for the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.

The plan has $87 million in funding for a Morganza to the Gulf of Mexico flood control feasibility study and related construction of levees and flood control structures.

Another $8 million was directed to Atchafalaya Basin protection and enhancement.

The plan appropriates $50 million for planning and construction of improvements on U.S. 90 from Lafayette Regional Airport to the Assumption Parish line.