The city of Youngsville continues to work to improve its roadways and drainage.

First comes the good news from U.S. Senator John Kennedy as FEMA is providing $5,230,350 to the city of Youngsville to construct retention ponds to mitigate flood damage.

I’m grateful to see Youngsville receive this much-needed aid to protect against future flooding and bolster the city’s storm water management. This (money) will help Youngsville and other parts of Louisiana protect themselves from natural disasters,”

Now, let's point out how your tax dollars are being spent.

Youngsville Mayor Ken Ritter announced that widening has begun today (Tuesday, Sept. 13) on Lafayette Street from St. Anne's Church to the clock roundabout at Iberia Street. This means there will be daily lane closures in this area and drivers are encouraged to find alternative routes to avoid delays.

Mayor Ritter outlines the process:
As part of the streetscape project in the heart of our city it was widely agreed that Lafayette Street should be widened...Overall this project is moving along great, on schedule, with an anticipated completion date prior to the end of this year. Still expected is the installation of the uniform street lighting, road overlays on Church, Lafayette, & School Streets, & landscaping. Nearing completion is the Church Street drainage improvements, sewer force main upgrade, and the new concrete angled and parallel parking stalls.
The roadwork is scheduled to last through September 23rd.
Interstate-10 Henderson Exit, google street view
Interstate-10 Henderson Exit, google street view
loading...

Interstate 10 Lane Closures Happening From Lafayette to Atchafalaya Basin Bridge

There are a couple of nightly lane closures happening on the stretch of I-10 from the Louisiana Avenue exit (Exit 104) in Lafayette to the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge in St. Martin Parish.
  • I-10 westbound from mile marker 117 to mile marker 108 - 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. This is happening from now until Monday, September 19th. This is so DOTD crews can perform asphalt operations. There will be no detour.
  • I-10 eastbound and westbound from Exit 104 to the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge in Lafayette and St. Martin Parishes - Thursday night from 8:00 p.m. until Friday morning at 6:00 a.m. These alternating lane closures will be performed by DOTD workers who will be applying herbicide.

Johnston Street Lane Closure

DOTD crews are scheduled to close the left lane of Johnston Street southbound from Sears Drive to Duhon Road beginning Wednesday and lasting until Saturday. This will happen nightly from 9:30 p.m. until 9:00 a.m.

Johnston Street at Duhon Road 2008
Google Maps
loading...

The workers will perform dirt work operations in the median of US 167.

Bridge on Ole Colony Road Closed for Drainage Improvements

As Lafayette City officials continue to look for ways to improve drainage in our area, they say Ole Colony Road at the bridge is now closed. Here are some important travel notes to keep in mind during this traffic incident:

  • There will be no thru traffic during construction. Drivers west of the bridge will use Westgate Road, and drivers east of the bridge will use Ambassador Caffery Parkway.
  • Improvements include installing storm drain pipes, and converting open ditch drains to subsurface drains.

Work is scheduled to last two weeks.

The Seven Modern Wonders of Acadiana

These landmarks in and around Lafayette leave us in awe and, in some cases, make us think what their designers were thinking.

The History Behind Lafayette's Street Names

We drive them on a daily basis. Some are smoother than others. Some we use more frequently than others. Some randomly start, end, and/or change names. They're the streets of Lafayette. The names behind many of these streets have interesting histories. We take a look at where those names come from and the impact their namesakes have had on the city and the parish.

Fighting Fentanyl: Huge Arrests Made Across Acadiana in 2022

The fight against fentanyl is a daunting one as the highly potent drug continues to take lives every day across the country. From Lafayette to the surrounding areas, law enforcement agencies have their hands full as they fight to get fentanly off their respective streets.

The awareness for the fatal causes of fentanyl are there as people across the Acadiana area (and the state) are not only mourning the death of loved ones lost to the substance but are holding memorials and recently worked with legislators to pass "Millie's Law," which increases criminal penalties for those who sale and distribute fentanyl.

Fentanyl has become a leading drug in an epidemic that takes over 100,000 lives each year, according to the CDC. The drug is often added to heroin without it being disclosed to the person buying the drug. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency outlines how dangerous fentanyl has become:

"Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed for pain management treatment of cancer patients, applied in a patch on the skin. Because of its powerful opioid properties, Fentanyl is also diverted for abuse. Fentanyl is added to heroin to increase its potency, or be disguised as highly potent heroin. Many users believe that they are purchasing heroin and actually don’t know that they are purchasing fentanyl – which often results in overdose deaths. Clandestinely-produced fentanyl is primarily manufactured in Mexico."


Let's take a look back at headline-catching cases involving fentanyl in 2022.

More From News Talk 96.5 KPEL