LAPLACE — Foxwood Lane will be reduced to a single lane of traffic for 45 to 60 days, weather permitting, as St. John the Baptist Parish works in coordination with J.E.S. Construction to alleviate effects of flooding at the subdivision’s entrance.

Access to homes will not be obstructed as construction is ongoing, and garbage, fire and police services will continue as normal.

Termed Phase II of the Foxwood Levee Project, the $150,000 initiative involves rerouting storm water runoff to the Foxwood Canal to prevent standing water from pooling in roadways.

Phase I, completed in August 2016, saw the construction of a pumping station, an elevated entrance to Foxwood and a 7-foot levee from the LaPlace Plantation Canal to the existing LaPlace Park Levee.

Phase I included about $1.7 million in improvements funded by the 2009 Bond Issue and a Gustav/Ike Development Bond Grant, according to St. John Parish communications director Baileigh Rebowe Helm. Phase II is funded through the 2015 Bond Issue, she said.

Homeowner Esther Troglen said she and her husband were displeased with the initial round of drainage improvements but are hopeful Phase II brings better results.

Years of rainy days transforming their yard into a pool of standing water led to her husband asking Parish officials to readdress the issue, Troglen said.

“I can say (Parish President Natalie) Robottom is fixing it now,” Troglen said. “This is our second time spending all this money. We told the engineers and contractors the first go round that water does not drain upward. Our yards and driveways are now being torn up again.”

District IV Councilman Marvin Perrilloux is asking residents with backyard flooding concerns to send him pictures so the Parish can become aware of the problem and work toward more efficient solutions.

Perrilloux said prior construction should not have worsened yard flooding.

“If your water was flowing toward the canal before, it shouldn’t be going any differently now,” Perrilloux said. “I need the pictures so we can know how to address the situation.”

Overall, Perrilloux has not heard a lot of community feedback regarding flooding, though some are concerned about construction.

“Inconvenience of construction is always a problem, but I think they will be pleased with the outcome,” Perrilloux said.

Perrilloux can be reached at 985-379-6168 or districtIV@stjohn-la.gov.

According to Helm, flooding at the entrance of the subdivision has been a primary concern, and rerouting water will benefit residents in more than 80 homes.

The Parish has alerted residents and left notes for those whose driveways will be impacted by construction, she said, adding the Capital Projects team and contractor would address any concerns immediately.

For more information, contact St. John Capital Projects at 985-652-9569.