Atchafalaya Basin Program project to begin at Wilson’s Landing

The state Department of Natural Resources’ Atchafalaya Basin Program announced Friday the start of an improvements project at Wilson’s Landing boat launch facility in the Patterson area, according to a news release.

Wilson’s Landing is located at the southern end of the Atchafalaya Basin in Patterson. The project includes the removal and replacement of the existing concrete boat launch, replacement of the existing timber dock with floating docks, resurfacing the parking area with limestone, and depth restoration of the access channel to allow vessel navigation from the boat launch to the Lower Atchafalaya River during all water levels, the release said.

The construction work is being performed by LeBlanc Marine of New Iberia and the project was designed and engineered by Miller Engineers & Associates of Franklin. The work is scheduled to begin Jan. 23 with an estimated completion in mid-May.

The cost for the construction of the improvements is approximately $618,470, with the state contributing $386,067 in funding from the Atchafalaya Basin Program and the remaining amount from St. Mary Parish.

St. Mary Parish President David Hanagriff said, “We are pleased to partner with the Atchafalaya Basin Program on another key project in our parish. This project will provide access to the lower Atchafalaya Basin for both commercial and recreational users.”

DNR Secretary Thomas Harris said, “The project is one that we hope can move fairly quickly in construction, while resulting in a huge enhancement for public access and enjoyment in this area of the basin.”