St. Tammany Parish is rolling out more than $53 million in 2026 to tackle some of the north shore’s most persistent headaches: bumpy roads, aging bridges, chronic drainage problems and spotty rural internet. Parish President Mike Cooper and council leaders unveiled the package on the parish Facebook page on March 31, 2026, and folded the figures into the adopted 2026 operating and capital budget. The money is set to fuel both parishwide contracts and a long roster of neighborhood-level repairs over the next year.
What $53 million buys
The parish’s adopted 2026 operating and capital budget states that "in all, this budget features over $53 million in infrastructure investments for our community," with money aimed at roadway resurfacing, bridge repairs, drainage work and other capital needs. According to St. Tammany Parish Government, the plan also calls for expanding broadband access to more than 2,300 homes in rural parts of the parish. Officials say the package blends district sales tax revenue, drainage ad valorem funds and one-time transfers to cover the work.
Major projects and the spending breakdown
The council’s 2026 capital ordinance breaks the effort into dozens of line items and sets aside about $30,304,500 for parishwide roads and drainage, while a "Total Infrastructure" line in the ordinance totals roughly $47.38 million. St. Tammany Parish Council records spell out specific work from Chris Kennedy Road to Brownswitch Road bridge repairs and the Tenet Pond expansion. Smaller spot fixes, such as the early 2026 Harrison Avenue repaving, are already underway and serve as a preview of how the money will hit individual neighborhoods.
Where the money comes from
Most of the capital cash flows from Sales Tax District No. 3. The adopted budget lists District 3 as providing about $52,173,900, which comes out to roughly 89 percent of the 2026 capital funding. The levy is dedicated under parish law to roads, bridges and drainage, which is why those categories dominate the project list. St. Tammany Parish Government documents show those district proceeds being balanced with drainage ad valorem dollars, debt service and a few one-time transfers.
Timeline and what residents should expect
Project notes in the capital ordinance include procurement schedules and site level details, and several drainage and pavement jobs are tagged to be “procured and completed Summer/Fall 2026,” though timelines will depend on project size and location. St. Tammany Parish Council records show that larger parishwide contracts are handled centrally, while smaller efforts land on district-specific lists. Residents who want to know when work might reach their block are being steered to parish meeting agendas and the Parish Council office for project-by-project timing.
"The parish is focused on continuing the momentum to upgrade roads, bridges and drainage," Cooper wrote in the Facebook post announcing the capital package. For the full project list and the official announcement, see St. Tammany Parish Government.
