We at the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff's Office (PPSO) wanted to share information and cover some of the concerns of our residents in regards to traffic congestion, speeding and dump trucks. Currently, Plaquemines Parish is home of the largest construction project in the country and quite possibly the world. There are approximately 6,000 people working at the Venture Global Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) site, which is a 25% increase in our total population with more to come. We also have a new bridge project that hinders the flow of traffic, especially when Highway 23 is reduced to one lane. We basically only have one way when you reach Woodland Highway and then one way out traveling northbound until Main Street, where you have an alternate route to exit our parish. Please be patient while our parish goes through growing pains with a much needed economic boost especially in the southern end of our beloved parish.

SPEEDING:

•     Sheriff Turlich has authorized two hours of overtime for deputies after the day shift (approximately 4:30pm - 6:30pm) and two hours after the night shift (approximately 5am - 7am) to focus on traffic enforcement on Highway 23.
•     A PPSO Deputy staged on Highway 23 near Engineers Road and the Belle Chasse tunnel during low visibility hours
•     Maximum speed limit in the Venture Global LNG construction zone has been reduced from 65mph to 55mph
•     Four Deputies posted on Highway 23 in the LNG construction zone
•     One Deputy posted on Highway 23 in the Myrtle Grove area
•     One Deputy posted on Highway 23 just south of the Naval Station
•     One Deputy posted on Walker Road near Highway 23

DUMP TRUCKS:

•     PPSO has daily contact with the various companies employing dump truck drivers to report any issues involving speeding, reckless operation, etc.
•     Over 150 dump trucks are now parking overnight just south of Belle Chasse to reduce the number of dump trucks traveling through Belle Chasse during peak traffic periods
•     Sheriff Turlich requested a State Trooper to be designated to Plaquemines Parish for truck enforcement
•     From 01/01/2022 - Present (03/28/2023 @ 2:30pm), PPSO has conducted approximately 543 traffic stops with dump trucks compared to 151 traffic stops from 01/01/2021 - 12/31/2021

TRAFFIC CONGESTION/ENFORCEMENT:

•     PPSO has been in contact with the United States Coast Guard and Plenary Infrastructure (Belle Chasse Bridge Project) in an effort to extend the Belle Chasse Bridge curfew in the evening for marine traffic
•     10,421 traffic stops from 01/01/2021 - 12/31/2021
•     17,218 traffic stops from 01/01/2022 - 12/31/2022
•     Thus far, 4,353 traffic stops from 01/01/2023 - Present (03/28/2023 @ 2:30pm), on pace for approximately 20,000 traffic stops in 2023

In closing, it is ALL-HANDS-ON-DECK, even the POST certified administrative staff are working six or seven days a week, sometimes 16-hour shifts, to help with traffic enforcement, speeding and overall PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS of our citizens. There are seven additional deputies posted from just south of Belle Chasse to West Pointe à la Hache. Along with providing security and traffic enforcement, these deputies will assist with calls for service reducing response times in these areas and are funded by the various companies involved in these projects relieving PPSO from creating and hiring personnel for a new patrol district at the cost of the taxpayers.

Sheriff Turlich's MAIN PRIORITY is the safety and overall quality of life of all the constituents in Plaquemines Parish. Please contact PPSO through the Dispatch Center at 504-564-2525 or dial 911 if you observe or encounter ANY vehicles that are excessively speeding and operating recklessly.