Lake Charles, Louisiana - Effective immediately, the City of Lake Charles has closed an intersection to vehicular traffic until January 2026 to complete critical underground infrastructure work.

The intersection of Pine and Reid Streets is now completely closed to vehicles, effective immediately. City officials also announced intermittent lane and road closures will occur on Pine Street between Reid and Ford Streets and on Ford Street between Pine and Belden Streets during the project timeline.

The extended closure will allow crews to perform rehabilitation, point repairs, and other necessary work on the underground sewer infrastructure. The sewer lines run east and west on Pine Street and north and south on Ford Street.

Weather permitting, the closure will remain in effect until January 31, 2026.

The rehabilitation work targets aging underground sewer infrastructure that requires repairs to maintain proper function. Point repairs refer to fixes made at specific locations along the sewer lines where damage or deterioration has occurred, rather than replacing entire sections of pipe.

Motorists traveling through the area will need to plan alternative routes during the closure period. The city has not announced specific detour routes, but drivers should expect delays and allow extra travel time when navigating around the construction zone.

The intermittent nature of some closures on Pine Street and Ford Street means those roads will not be completely blocked at all times. However, drivers should anticipate varying traffic patterns and potential restrictions throughout the duration of the project.

City officials noted that weather conditions could impact the project timeline. Severe weather, flooding, or other environmental factors may extend the closure beyond the currently projected Jan. 31, 2026, completion date.