LA 74 closure impacts businesses, neighbors in Ascension Parish

ASCENSION PARISH, La. (WAFB) - A portion of LA 74 near Airline Highway will be closed for about a month and business owners say they are feeling the impact.

LA 74 is shut down from Airline to Bayou Narcisse in Ascension Parish to replace a culvert.

“That roadway was deteriorating and needed to be improved and so the new pavement is going to be very beneficial,” said Rodney Mallett, communications director for DOTD. “Of course, drainage in this area, anytime you can improve drainage is important as well, so that was part of this project.”

The closure is causing some problems for nearby barber Chris Fades.

“A lot of clients come from Baton Rouge and that’s their favorite route to take,” said Fades. “So, that being there is kind of interrupting the process. It’s going to be like the third time they’ve done some work on that road. So, the clients must come around and you know, time is money and that really affects business.”

Kamal’s Kafe owner Kamal Zaher says he is optimistic about the construction helping with flooding.

“It’s going to help our drainage, which is, if you remember in 2016, we were fish under the water,” added Zaher. “We had over 60,000 houses under the water and I think this is going to be great for Ascension.”

Construction is being paid for by state transportation funds for a total of nine million dollars.

According to officials, the road should open back up in mid-October.

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