but we’re looking to budget for that, a few million dollars every other fiscal year to replace some of those underground pipes.”Additionally, the replacement of a downtown bridge is set to commence in the near future. “It’s financed by the state of Louisiana,” the mayor reports, “It should be coming on in the next one or two years. That’s a major project for us.” ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BUSINESS ATTRACTION The city is working to improve and area along the Cane River, known as the Mill District. Williams and enhancements to public facilities. “We like to tout that we’re an old city. But what comes with that is aging and old infrastructure,” Williams remarks, sharing that a $17 million water treatment facility is in the works, increasing capacity from 7 to 10 million gallons per day. Another $17 million project is in the design phase, focusing on sidewalks, drainage improvements, and implementing a bike and pedestrian plan.The city is also budgeting to replace old cast iron waterlines. Williams details.“We don’t have a grant with that yet, 102 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 08
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