PLAQUEMINE — On Wednesday, Iberville Parish officials joined the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) to celebrate the start of construction on the Bayou Pigeon Boat Launch Improvement Project.

They say the project will improve the area by increasing the number of boat launch lanes from two to seven, adding new floating piers to facilitate easier launching and retrieval of boats, and upgrading parking and trailering facilities, including ADA-compliant parking spaces.

"Piers, basically where boats can now launch and then they can actually tie their boat up, rather than here, we don't have any pier we just have an open layer of concrete," Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle said.

Daigle added that six inches of limestone will be poured for parking.

"After the project is done, the parish government is actually going to chip in and we're gonna invest additionally into this project," Daigle said.

As part of the Atchafalaya Basin Program, the CPRA is dedicating over $2 million in state funds to address long-standing infrastructure damage and improve access to one of Louisiana's most treasured natural landscapes.

"This is funds through the state that is dedicated to this program. It's roughly two million dollars for these improvements. That's all part of our annual plan, so this was part of last year's annual plan," CPRA Executive Director Glenn Ledet said.

Officials said the Bayou Pigeon Boat Launch is among the most popular facilities for commercial activities, including commercial fishing and crawfishing, as well as access for oil and gas industry workers and equipment transport in the Atchafalaya Basin.

"It's great news... We need it. The landing gets a little congested, especially during crawfish season and hunting season during peak times and fishing also. It's well needed," Roy Deveer, a local resident, said.

The project will take a year to complete, Daigle said, adding that it has been in the works in some form or another since the late 1990s.

While construction is underway, Daigle said the boat launch area will remain open to the public.