A $30 Million Bridge in St. Tammany Parish

 St. Tammany Parish is a desirable area to live in on the North Shore as it has been rapidly growing for a while now. In fact, the area had major road projects that were done and completed in 2019 along U.S. 190 between I-12 and Covington.

The project helped the flow of the northbound traffic on I-12 until it squeezed into one lane to go over the bridge at Bogue Falaya River. The old bridge was built in the 1940s and does not fit the traffic flow of today’s commute.

“It’s been an issue for years,” Parish Council member David Fitzgerald said. At times, he said, the congestion “is almost impenetrable.”

The parish’s population grew 13% between 2010 and 2020. Today there are around 270,000 residents with 330,000 registered vehicles. That means that U.S. 190 around the old bridge has around 70,000 vehicles on average a day.

They have begun a project to build a $30 million bridge to replace the current vintage bridge. The bridge will be done in two phases with the first being the one going northbound and the second will be southbound. The bridges will each have two 12-foot wide traffic lanes along with shoulders. The Department of Transportation and Development says the project is slated to be completed in 2025.

“We’re somewhat worried about the construction,” Colin Patrick, co-owner of the nearby Pat’s Seafood Market and Cajun Deli said, adding with a hopeful note: “I believe it’ll be good for business after it’s done.”

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Upgrades To Make a Home More Appealing

 In today’s market, buyers seek energy-efficient and eco-friendly features when searching for a new home. According to the National Association of Realtors‘ 2023 Realtors and Sustainability Report, almost half of consumers in the current market are focusing on sustainability.

“Buyers often seek homes that either lessen their environmental footprint or reduce their monthly energy costs. There is value in promoting green features and energy information to future home buyers,” says Jessica Lautz, Deputy Chief Economist and VP of Research at NAR.

In the report, there are many green features that are most important. These include proximity to frequently visited places, a comfortable living space, utility bills plus operating costs, and a home’s windows, doors and siding. These all can be changed while the location of your home cannot.

ENERGY STAR also points out that there are other features that can be updated that will make your home not only more comfortable but energy efficient as well. Make sure your HVAC system is maintained and working properly. This also goes with your hot water heater which should ideally be upgraded to a heat pump water heater. Upgrade to a smart thermostat that can regulate temperature settings and reduce the cost of your energy bill. Proper sealing and insulation in your attic can also help with the heating and cooling of your home. Air can also seep out of windows, so upgrading to energy-efficient windows will reduce the transfer of heat.

Not only will an energy-efficient home sell for more money, but you can also benefit from tax credits and rebates for energy-efficient upgrades. Focusing on energy efficiency and eco-friendly features will make your home very appealing to buyers.

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Is a Raised Garden Bed Right for You?

 A raised garden bed can look lovely but there are things to consider before making the decision to install one. A raised garden bed takes planning and can be a bit pricey. To save on costs, you will want to get it right the first go around. Before you jump into the project, here are some questions to ask when considering a raised garden bed.

1. How do you decide where to put your raised beds?

The location of your bed will depend on what you are growing in your raised garden bed. For example, if you choose vegetables, you will need a spot that gets at least six hours of sunlight. So you will want to choose the location of your bed according to the amount of sunlight the area tends to get in a day. There are sunlight calculators you can use or even an app on your cell such as Sunseeker or Lumos.

2. What type of soil do you need?

Since a raised garden bed is elevated off the ground, you will want to use a soil mix that will hold water and nutrients. Absorbent soil can be a little costly especially if your bed is large. Recommended is a topsoil mixed with compost and peat moss.

3. How deep should you build your raised beds?

If your raised garden is sitting above fertile soil, then it should be raised 12 inches or less from the ground. The reason for this is because plant roots will have access to a foot or so of nutrients below bed level.  For soil that is not as fertile, you need to raise the bed higher as high as three feet off the ground.

4. What size should raised beds be?

The length and width of a raised bed will depend on a couple of things. If you want to be able to reach comfortably from both sides, you will need to measure from your arm to shoulder to fingertips and double the length of your arm and then subtract six to eight inches. So basically a popular size is 3 to 4 feet wide by 6,8 or 10 feet long.

5. What’s the best material for raised bed gardening?

The most popular materials include wood, plastic, aluminum and galvanized metal. If you choose to do wood, you will need corner reinforcements and cross bracing. The best types of wood to use include cedar, cypress, redwood, or white oak. You do not want to use treated lumber because it contains toxic chemicals.

Take time to carefully plan out your raised garden. Also, answer these five questions to see if a raised bed is really right for you and your garden.

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And the Winner Is..... Homeownership

 The current housing market sees high mortgage rates, concerns about another recession and inflationary pressure. Even with these trends, it is a great time to buy a home because the long-term benefits are still worth it.

If you ask a homeowner who has had their home for 5, 10, or more years they will tell you they have no regrets. The main reason is due to the growth in a home’s value over time. According to Fannie Mae, seventy percent of those that were surveyed said that buying a home is a safe investment.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) reveals how much homes have increased in price over the last five years. The highest overall increase was seen in the Mountain region at 68.9%. Next came South Atlantic with a 67.5% increase, then East South Central at 63%, New England came in with 57.5%, East North Central and West South Central at 51.8%, Middle Atlantic came in at 49.4%, West North Central with 48.8% and last is Pacific with 48%.

As far as the percent change in home prices was drastic. The highest was in the Mountain region at 457.5% and the lowest was in East North Central at 214.2%. The Pacific region had a 334.1% increase, South Atlantic by 320.4%, 302.4% in West South Central, West North Central 270.1%, and Middle Atlantic with 239.9%.

Talk to a Realtor who will help you with the options of purchasing a new home. They can also let you know the great long-term benefits of owning a home.

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