Price tag for Louisiana’s Comite River Diversion Canal Project more than doubles

(The Center Square) — Progress continues on the Comite River Diversion Canal Project despite costs that have more than doubled, federal officials told a legislative task force on Thursday.

Bobby Duplantier, senior project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, told the Comite River Diversion Canal Project Task Force inflation and rising construction expenses have increased the total projected cost of the eight mile engineered channel by $476 million to $907.8 million.

“We were given the green light from our headquarters that … funding is not going to be an issue with this project, move forward full speed ahead,” Duplantier said, adding that the federal government will cover the difference.

The project, which has faced repeated delays, is designed to prevent floods that impacted 200,000 homes in Zachary, Baker and Central in 2016. It’s designed to divert 30,000 cubic square feet of water from the Comite River to the Mississippi River once complete, while also drawing water from three bayous. The potential flow through the canal is equal to creating the Arkansas River, officials said previously.

The Army Corps is managing 19 of the project’s 22 construction contracts, and out of the 13 that have been awarded, seven are complete and six are ongoing. Another six contracts have not yet been awarded, Duplantier said.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is managing three construction contracts that include road crossings at state routes 964, 67 and 19, a railroad bridge, land acquisition, and utility relocations.

DOTD Critical Projects Manager Christina Brignac said 44 out of 60 utility relocations are complete, and 85 of 89 land parcels needed have been acquired. DOTD estimates the crossing at LA964 is about 40% complete, while the LA67 crossing is about 24% complete and work on the LA19 crossing is expected to start later this year.

Officials estimate four of the nine ongoing construction contracts will be complete in 2023. The six contracts that have not yet been awarded are expected to run into the third quarter of 2025, confirming a previous update that residents awaiting the flood control measures will likely face at least two more hurricane seasons without them.

“The schedule that we presented at the last task force (meeting) still remains, we have not shifted schedule,” Duplantier said.

Task force members questioned whether the schedule could be accelerated.

Officials said it’s possible, with the timeline for completion ranging from the fourth quarter of next year to the third quarter of 2025, depending on several factors. They noted anticipated weather delays are calculated into the estimate.

The task force also discussed maintenance of the canal, which officials said would fall on the state. Officials also confirmed the project will result in new flood insurance maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that will lower costs for locals.