State and local officials gathered Friday, April 10, to celebrate the completion of a new bridge on LA 923 at Elm Slough, a project aimed at improving safety and connectivity in rural Catahoula Parish.
Governor Jeff Landry joined community leaders and transportation officials for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, highlighting the importance of continued investment in Louisiana’s infrastructure.
“This project represents our commitment to improving rural roads and bridges that our communities rely on every day,” Landry said during the event. “By working together, we’re delivering safer, stronger infrastructure for the people of Louisiana.”
The bridge, completed at a cost of $2,860,268, replaces an aging structure that had long served local residents. Notably, the project was completed in a record 111 days from initial concept to construction, underscoring the state’s push for faster, more efficient project delivery. The bridge is officially set to open to all traffic on April 20.
The Elm Slough bridge is part of a broader initiative led by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) to modernize transportation systems statewide. Through its bridge bundling program, DOTD plans to replace or rehabilitate 62 aging bridges across Louisiana.
The initiative groups multiple bridge projects into coordinated construction packages to maximize efficiency, reduce costs and accelerate delivery timelines—an approach officials say is already producing results in rural areas like Catahoula Parish.
That effort is supported through a partnership with the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction (OLHC), a newly established agency created during the 2025 legislative session. The office is focused on streamlining project delivery, increasing accountability and addressing critical infrastructure needs—particularly in rural and underserved communities.
DOTD Secretary Glenn Ledet has described the collaboration as a major step forward in how Louisiana handles infrastructure projects, while OLHC Executive Director Archie Chaisson III emphasized the importance of delivering timely improvements that directly benefit local communities.
State Sen. Glen Womack also praised the initiative, saying it is “allowing us as legislators to start rebuilding Louisiana’s infrastructure, the water, the roads, the bridges, putting people to work—that’s what this is about.”
State Rep. Neil Riser echoed that sentiment, adding, “Jeff (Governor Landry) understands rural Louisiana.”
According to the OLHC website, similar infrastructure improvements are on the horizon for LaSalle Parish, where two bridge projects are slated as part of the same statewide bundling initiative. One project on LA 124 at Bear Branch carries a projected cost estimate of $899,870, while another replacement project on U.S. Highway 165 west of Olla is estimated at $3,600,650. Both projects are currently in the design phase.
The bridge bundling program falls under the state’s “Transforming Transportation” initiative, which emphasizes cost-effective, performance-driven solutions for long-term infrastructure improvements.
For residents of Catahoula Parish, the newly-opened bridge at Elm Slough offers improved safety, smoother travel and dependable access along LA 923—benefits that were celebrated as officials cut the ribbon and marked the project’s completion.
