OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY) – College Avenue, Wartell Avenue, Mary Ann Street.

Opelousas city leaders say they’re some of the worst streets in town. That’s why the city is going to rebuild them for around $700,000.

“It saves cost if you do all three of them at the same time so we’re going to start doing that and that’s just the beginning,” explained Opelousas Mayor Reggie Tatum. 

Mayor Tatum said College Avenue has had problems with potholes and flooding for over 12 years.

Besides the residents and drivers in the area, Tatum said it’s really going to help out the Community Chapel. He said when it rains the water gets so deep that parishioners have a hard time getting to church.

“I’m excited for them because they’re actually going to get some resolution to this problem,” he said.

Wartell Avenue is in a light industrial area. Opelousas Chief Administrative Officer Rod Sias said street improvements help keep businesses like Targil Seasoning in the city.

“A certain code that they have to abide by and levels of cleanliness and you can’t have that with a road that’s kicking up dust,” Sias said.

Wartell will be rebuilt to accommodate big trucks and other industrial equipment. 

“We’re fixing what we have, upgrading our industrial roads hopefully to attract new businesses and make our existing businesses more profitable,” Sias said.

Work has already begun on Mary Ann Street.

Originally built for residential use, it sits up against the back of a shopping center. Delivery trucks use the street often.

“They just tear up the road because the roads weren’t originally made to be able to handle those weights,” Tatum said.

The street is filled with large potholes. Mayor Tatum said the city will rebuild the road with commercial grade concrete.

“It’s going to be great for the residents,” he said. “It’s going to be a new street and it’s going to be really, really heavy duty so the trucks won’t be able to tear it up.”

Mayor Tatum said the city is paying for the entire project. He said the city’s sales tax fund has been good because they don’t depend on oil and gas revenues as much as other cities and towns do in Acadiana.