VERMILION PARISH, La - A long-awaited road construction project along LA 35 and LA 342 is underway, aiming to ease the daily commute for drivers.
The $5.4 million infrastructure improvement project covers a 3.9-mile stretch near the Abbeville Highway and has become a hot topic among local residents who’d grown weary of rough conditions. Construction began in early spring and is expected to wrap up by late fall or early winter.
“It used to be really bad and you would sit there hitting and bouncing,” said Ayden Trahan, whose father lives nearby. “It’s better now.”
Like many in the area, Trahan commutes regularly on the affected roads and says the repairs are overdue.
“The roads are already bad and I have a bad suspension,” he said. “So, it’s definitely needed. It helps me drive better.”
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) says the project is part of a broader push to enhance infrastructure across the parish.
“One of the best ways that you can improve the quality of life, of course, is to improve the infrastructure of the people that are going to be utilizing those roadways,” said Deidra Druilhet, public information officer for DOTD.
According to Druilhet, the work being done includes base rehabilitation, a process aimed at reinforcing or repairing the foundational layers of pavement to improve durability and safety.
While the project has caused some delays for drivers, many, like Trahan, say they’re willing to wait.
“There is another road I could have taken, but I have nothing better to do,” he said.
