BATON ROUGE, LA – On June 2, 2011, a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) was signed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, the Southern University and A&M College System, and the Louisiana Office of Facility Planning and Control to partner on the Southern University Campus Road Project, a plan to prevent a campus road from falling into a local ravine.
Fluctuations in water levels, the close proximity of a road embankment, and an undesirable direction of flow toward the road are causing soil and stream bank erosion along the banks of a ravine, which is impacting access to several university dormitories.
“This will prevent further damage to the road,” stated Corps Project Manager Nick Sims. “We began by devising a plan to excavate approximately 150 feet of the ravine. Next, we will put in a new 150-foot culvert, and then we will complete the project by installing rip-rap for erosion protection.”
“The timely partnership between SU and FP&C, and the Army Corps of Engineers, will ensure safe passage for students to the residence halls and could help prevent future catastrophic failure to the ravine at the intersection of E.C. Harrison Drive and Jesse N. Stone Street that would devastate already strained state and campus resources,” said Endas Vincent, SU System director of facilities planning.
The non-federal sponsors include the Southern University and A&M College System and the State of Louisiana, Division of Administration, Office of Facility Planning and Control. The project, which is estimated to cost $1.025 million, will be cost-shared with non-federal sponsors (65 percent federal, 35 percent non-federal).
“The partnership of these three organizations demonstrates the benefits of federal authorities partnering with local entities and shows that, by acting proactively to preserve and improve flood control, we can prevent damage and save money in the long term. Furthermore, this partnership has resulted in strengthening the integrity of the river thereby protecting Southern University’s dorms and infrastructure. I toured SU last year and was aware of the necessity of this work, and I congratulate all those involved for achieving beneficial results,” stated Congressman Bill Cassidy.
The Mississippi Valley Division approved the plan on February 18, 2011, which is Continuing Authority Program (CAP) that is authorized by Section 14, of the 1946 Flood Control Act. Construction is scheduled to begin in September 2011, contingent on available funding.