St. Landry Parish, La. — The St. Landry Parish Council convened on Wednesday to review the proposed 2025 budget, which includes funding for a major road improvement project on Nap Lane in District 11. The project, totaling $3 million, aims to address long-standing concerns over the road’s deteriorating condition, which has become a safety hazard for drivers.
Nap Lane, a residential street that has seen a significant increase in traffic due to nearby subdivision development, is in urgent need of repair. John Miller, a long-time resident of the area, has witnessed the road’s decline firsthand. “When I first came here, traffic wasn’t bad at all,” said Miller. “But now, with all the development, the road is falling apart.”
The narrow, damaged surface of Nap Lane has led to frequent accidents, with several vehicles ending up in the ditch due to the lack of a shoulder. Miller expressed concern about the safety risks, noting that drivers, fearing a head-on collision, often drive too close to the edge where there is no shoulder. “It’s in poor condition, it’s narrow, and it just breaks off,” he said. “People feel threatened, and we’ve had to call a wrecker several times to remove cars from the ditch.”
In response to the growing safety issues, Parish President Jessie Bellard discussed efforts in 2024 to secure state funding for the repair of Nap Lane. “The road is so expensive to fix that we can’t do it with our own funds,” Bellard explained at the time.
The newly proposed 2025 budget now includes the $3 million project for a complete reconstruction of the road. Councilman LeJeune, who represents District 11, explained that the project’s high cost stems from the need for extensive work. “The whole road needs to be redone,” LeJeune said. “We have to widen it due to the heavy traffic, and to do that, we need to install underground drainage and move power lines.”
In addition to road widening, the project will include the construction of a turning lane from Hwy 182 to improve safety for vehicles entering and exiting Nap Lane. LeJeune noted that the project will not be a quick fix. “This won’t be a short project,” he said. “It’ll probably take about a year and a half to complete.”
The $3 million for the project will come from state funding, although a start date for the work has yet to be determined. Once completed, the project is expected to significantly improve the safety and functionality of Nap Lane, a critical roadway for the growing community in District 11.