Natchitoches Mayor Ronnie Williams Jr., announces that the City of Natchitoches has been conditionally awarded $3.16 million in funding under the Louisiana Watershed Initiative Round 2 grant program.
These funds will be used for the planning and construction of drainage improvements in the following areas of South Natchitoches: Fairgrounds Road, Pan Am and Towne South subdivisions, Industrial Drive, and the area along Bayou Julien.
The first phase of the project will consist of hydrologic and hydraulic modeling that will result in a feasibility study and conceptual project design that, upon approval, will lead to Phase 2, construction of the drainage improvements identified by the study.
The planning process will consider the effects of past flood events in the project area and the benefits to the community that will result from project implementation, while at the same time ensuring compliance with all applicable laws related to the protection of the environment, including incorporation of any mitigation measures and nature-based solutions that are deemed appropriate to the project.
The project is being administered by the State Office of Community Development, who has not yet released a scheduled start date for the study phase.
This conditional funding award was the result of a Pre-Application submitted by the City of Natchitoches last year, which was evaluated by the LWI Region 1 Steering Committee and deemed to be a viable project. The Steering Committee consists of representatives of the northwest Louisiana parishes that form LWI Region 1, and includes former Natchitoches Parish Presidents Rick Nowlin and John Richmond.
The chart below highlights all of the city’s grant wins since August 2020 (this does not include funding through Capital Outlay, which is valued at around $4 million):
|
Grant Win |
Purpose |
Funding Source |
|
$1.6 million HVAC grant |
Remove mold at the MLK Rec Center and new HVAC at MLK and the Events Center |
Louisiana Community Development Block Grant Program |
|
$400,000 Richardson Park improvement grant |
Enhance Richardson Park on Lake Street with new walking path, updated restrooms, new pavilion and inclusive play set |
Office of Community Development’s Love Louisiana Outdoors Program |
|
$480,000 Keyser Lift Station Upgrade |
Expand the capacity of the existing lift station on Keyser Avenue to meet the demand of current and future development |
Delta Regional Authority (DRA) |
|
$17.2 million RAISE grant |
Implement sidewalks and lighting on Texas Street as well as the Bike and Pedestrian Plan throughout the city |
Federal Department of Transportation |
|
$280,000 Safe Streets for All grant |
Develop a Safe Streets Action Plan designed to reduce catastrophic crashes in Natchitoches |
Federal Department of Transportation |
|
$5 million Water Sector grant |
This money will help fund the approximately $17 million water treatment project and rehabilitation of Plant 3 |
Water Sector Commission |
|
$50,000 NEA grant |
Boost the arts in Natchitoches specific to re-designing the Ben Johnson Baseball field on MLK Drive |
National Endowment of the Arts |
|
$205,000 Clearance grant |
Remove certain blighted structures throughout the city |
Louisiana’s Office of Community Development |
Along with airport grants totaling $5,767,686 and public safety grants for the Natchitoches Police Department totaling $575,736.00, the city of Natchitoches has been the recipient of $40,000,000 in federal and state funding since August 2020.
For more information about the $3.1 million drainage project, please contact Mr. Nick Verret, City Engineer, at (318) 357-3877.