Maple Avenue, Bobcat Drive bridge replacement may start by summer

The replacement of the bridge on Maple Avenue at the Bobcat Drive intersection may start by summer, Eunice Mayor Scott Fontenot told Eunice Kiwanis Club members Thursday.
The state Department of Transportation and Development project is expected to take about 18 months to complete, he said.
“I honestly think it will probably be 18 months. It is going to be a big project. They are going to reroute the gully and move the bridge back,” he said.
Fontenot did not have a cost for the state project, but said the city must pay about $100,000 to move a main gas line and pay part of the cost of $36,000 to move another city line.
The work will be done in two phases. In the first phase, East Maple Avenue will be closed at the Nature Trail. In the second phase, Bobcat Drive is to be closed at its intersection with Maple Avenue.
“It’s something that has got to be done,” he said in reference to detours that will be posed by the work.
The bridge will be moved 100 to 200 to the east and the gully will be straightened, he said. The sharp turn in the gully has caused erosion problems, he said.
In other comments, Fontenot said:
— He is still interested in a bond issue to fund a complete overlay of city streets.
— City vehicles are about to have GPS devices installed on them to help monitor employees.
— He is looking into tax incremental financing for city development. “I’m not a tax person. I feel like I pay a lot of taxes already. I have a small business and just being consumer. But if you really want to see something happen sometimes you’ve got to give a little extra.”
— The city is looking into splash pads and may poll students about what they want for recreation.