LAFAYETTE PARISH — State and local leaders gathered Friday in Carencro to mark the start of a major highway improvement project that aims to upgrade one of Acadiana’s busiest corridors. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) held a groundbreaking ceremony for a $43 million resurfacing effort along Interstate 49, targeting a nearly nine-mile stretch from Interstate 10 in Lafayette Parish to the St. Landry Parish line.
Officials say the project focuses on both improving and preserving a heavily traveled roadway that plays a key role in connecting communities.
“On average, we experience about 85 thousand vehicles that travel up and down the stretch of highway every single day, and that's quite a bit,” said Deidria Druilhet, public information officer with DOTD. “And given the industry that we have in this area, it’s the type of project where it's going to basically prove beneficial not only to motorists but to industry in the area, aviation, multi-model, and even economic development as well.”
Leaders emphasized that the project’s reach into St. Landry Parish adds to its significance, strengthening a corridor linking multiple communities across parish lines. Louisiana State Senator Gerald Boudreaux said the investment reflects a broader effort to bring resources back to the region while improving safety and traffic flow.
“We’re proud of the fact that it’s in the center district 24, between Lafayette and St. Landry Parish, and we’re bring those dollars back to our communities to make safer highways to help with traffic and just to keep the quality of life on this end of town great,” Boudreaux said.
Construction is expected to begin in early April, with crews working primarily overnight to limit disruptions for drivers. Officials acknowledge that while the work may create temporary slowdowns, safety will remain a top priority throughout the process.
“When we have construction there are growing pains we have to slow down while this work is going on because we have employees out here, safety is the number one thing,” Boudreaux said.
The project will include milling, patching, and overlaying asphalt, as well as roadway reinforcement to extend its lifespan. DOTD officials say that kind of maintenance is essential to keeping major highways functional over time.
Local leaders say the improvements are long overdue, pointing to the current condition of the roadway as a concern for drivers traveling in either direction along I-49.
“This is something really needed if you’re going down 49 or up 49 either way, when you're driving up that stretch of 49 it’s a little bumpy and so it’ll kind of smooth it all out, it’ll be beautiful when it’s done,” said Carencro Mayor Charlotte Clavier.
Construction is expected to be complete in the summer of 2027, with officials expressing optimism that the finished project will deliver a smoother, safer drive for motorists.
