The Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association awarded St. Bernard Parish Government their Planning Excellence Award for Plan Implementation at their annual conference in New Orleans.    The organization annually selects an exemplary project among state, local, and private sector planning organizations that reflects excellence in urban and regional planning.  St. Bernard Parish Government received the award for its work in implementing the St. Bernard Bikeway and Pedestrian Plan Update adopted in 2017.  

Howard Luna, Parish Councilman and member of the Parish Bikeways and Trail Advisory Committee, said “the Parish has been fortunate in that it has been able to secure over $15 million in state, federal and private grants to implement the plan”.   The Parish has financed engineering costs, assembled partnerships with local and regional agencies and major property owners, and obtained over $350,000 in critical land donations from private entities such as the Meraux Foundation and Valero Refinery to establish trailheads.

The American Planning Association is the world’s largest professional organization with a membership over 40,000 whose mission is to create great communities for all by helping the city planning profession, community leaders, and residents.

Pictured receiving the Planning Excellence Award for Plan Implementation for the St. Bernard Bikeway and Pedestrian Plan Update from left to right, Richard Poche, St. Bernard GIS Consultant; Howard Luna, Parish Councilman and member of the Parish Bikeway and Pedestrian Advisory Committee; Deborah Jan Fagan, Bikeway Planning Consultant; and Whitney Hoffman Sayal, President, Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association