The long-awaited project to permanently repair the section of LA 495 closed since 2019 has reached another milestone, with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development confirming the project has now been awarded for construction and is moving toward the next phase.
The roadway, located approximately 2.2 to 2.5 miles from the southern intersection of LA 1 near Cloutierville, has remained closed for around seven years due to an embankment slide caused by erosion from Cane River that originated outside of the DOTD right-of-way. The slide compromised the stability of the highway, prompting the department to close the road indefinitely for public safety.
When the closure was first announced, DOTD determined that repairing the existing roadway was not a viable long-term solution. Instead, the department developed plans to realign LA 495 away from the river.
According to DOTD, the project was officially let for bid on June 24, marking a significant step toward construction. Officials said the contract typically requires about 30 days to be executed with the selected contractor, followed by another 30 days to schedule a pre-construction conference.
That meeting between DOTD and the contractor will establish key project details, including the anticipated construction start date, work schedule, traffic coordination, and other logistical matters.
Following the pre-construction conference, the contractor is generally given an assembly period of 30 to 60 days to mobilize equipment, secure materials, and prepare the work site before construction begins.
DOTD said a definitive construction start date will be announced publicly once the pre-construction meeting has been completed.
The department noted that the LA 495 project was one of two major roadway realignment projects in Natchitoches Parish that required funding and development after riverbank erosion threatened state highways. The second project, on LA 119 near Magnolia Plantation, has since been completed.
With the LA 119 work finished, DOTD said the agency has spent the past several months completing the design and preparation necessary to move the LA 495 project to construction.
The project was previously in the design and right-of-way acquisition phase when DOTD held a public meeting in Cloutierville in January to update residents on the planned roadway realignment and answer questions about the prolonged closure.
While the closure has created a lengthy detour for area residents and motorists since 2019, DOTD officials have maintained that the roadway could not safely reopen until a permanent solution was developed.
With the bidding process complete and construction preparations now underway, the LA 495 realignment project is entering its final pre-construction phase before work begins. DOTD said additional information, including an official start date, will be released once it has been finalized.