Build a Better Mousetrap National Competition
This highlights innovative solutions to everyday problems and issues that local and tribal transportation workers encounter. They can range from the development of tools, equipment modifications, to processes that increase safety, reduce cost, improve efficiency and the quality of transportation. Read more.
Submit an Entry for BABM
Download the 2027 BABM Brochure
2026 Louisiana Innovations
Downtown Revival Abbeville Street Improvement Project
The City of Abbeville transformed a roadway improvement project into a lasting investment in its community. Through a comprehensive downtown revitalization effort, the project enhanced public safety, accessibility, mobility, infrastructure reliability, and streetscape beautification—creating a safer, more welcoming, and more vibrant downtown for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
Selected by Louisiana LTAP as Louisiana's entry in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Build a Better Mousetrap Competition, Abbeville's innovative project went on to earn National Winner honors in the 2026 Putting Families First category. Among submissions from across the country, the project was recognized for demonstrating how thoughtful transportation improvements can strengthen communities and improve quality of life for generations to come.
Calcasieu Parish "One Rain" Flood Alert System
As high-intensity, short-duration rain events become more frequent across southern Louisiana, Calcasieu Parish recognized the need for a smarter way to monitor flooding and protect its communities. To meet this challenge, the Parish developed the One Rain Flood Alert System—a comprehensive network of more than 100 flood and rain gauges that provides real-time data on rainfall, water levels, flood stages, and drainage conditions.
By integrating data from local gauges with additional monitoring stations operated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the system gives residents, first responders, and Parish staff instant access to reliable flood and weather information. The data supports faster emergency response, helps identify and prioritize drainage improvements, and provides valuable information used by agencies such as the National Weather Service to improve forecasting. Through innovation and collaboration, Calcasieu Parish has created a powerful tool that enhances public safety, strengthens infrastructure planning, and helps build a more resilient community.
St. Charles Parish – Elevating Sleeve Pile Repair System
When critical timber piles supporting the west bank raw water intake structure in Luling began to deteriorate, St. Charles Parish needed a solution that would restore the structure quickly without disrupting water operations. Working with Providence Engineering & Environmental Group, the Parish embraced an innovative alternative: the Elevating Sleeve Pile Repair System (ESPRS).
Rather than relying on a traditional repair method that required extensive excavation, shoring, and field welding, the ESPRS utilized prefabricated steel sleeve assemblies that significantly streamlined construction. The innovative approach reduced material costs by more than 50 percent, saving approximately $55,000, while also accelerating installation and allowing the project to be completed ahead of schedule. By adopting a safer, faster, and more cost-effective repair solution, St. Charles Parish demonstrated how innovative engineering can extend the life of critical infrastructure while delivering meaningful savings for the community.
2025 Louisiana Innovations
Ouachita Parish Public Works Department - Dye-Assisted Leak Detection
The Ouachita Parish Public Works Department recently tackled a common yet persistent infrastructure challenge: detecting leaks in underground water systems. Traditional methods can be time-consuming, costly, and imprecise—but Ouachita Parish found a better way. Faced with the need for a simple, effective solution, their team developed a clever technique using concentrated dye. By introducing a vivid blue dye into the suspected reservoir system and surveying the area for visible signs of leakage, they were able to quickly pinpoint and repair problem areas. This low-cost, high-impact method earned them top honors at the Build a Better Mousetrap Awards, proving that practical innovation doesn’t have to be complicated—it just has to work.
2024 Louisiana Innovations
Tangipahoa Parish Government Utilizes Mobile Solution to Develop Drainage Inventory
The Tangipahoa Parish Government (TPG) recently had a tremendous opportunity to enhance drainage effectiveness across the parish, but they lacked the data needed to maximize this potential. In 2022, both the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Louisiana Watershed Initiative (LWI) were working to model and map the parish watershed. However, TPG had no current data regarding the number, locations, sizes, and conditions of the cross-drain pipes crucial to effective drainage. In response to this challenge, the TPG staff worked overtime to develop an innovative mobile solution to close this information gap.
Addis: From Small Town to Smart City
The Town of Addis is a growing town located in West Baton Rouge Parish, along the Mississippi River. It is situated on Louisiana Highway One, just minutes from the state’s Capital city of Baton Rouge. Addis is known for its small-town atmosphere while offering unique advantages of close location to metropolitan areas, major universities, business and industry.
Previous Competitions
Geaux Mow - Submitted for Pioneer Award
The Lafayette Consolidated Government built the Geaux Mow web application that stored all of the grass cutting locations virtually and could bid them out to vendors in an open bidding system. The system runs efficiently, and LCG has enough grass cutting vendors to have good competition which gets them good prices on cuts. Even though the cuts are now cheaper, they are actually spending more money as a city on grass cutting. Since they now have a convenient and manageable solution to cut grass efficiently, their city and parish councils voted to increase money allocated to grass cutting. As a result, they now cut more grass than expected for 8 different divisions of Lafayette Consolidated Government, and the city looks much better and cleaner for it.
Storm Mode - Submitted for Bold Steps Award
LCG’s staff from the Traffic Roads and Bridges Department built the Storm Mode platform with an online map where dispatchers could place and assign requests. The Storm Mode system was tested during Hurricane Delta. LCG received 2,414 requests, including 690 trees/limbs down. The system greatly improved operational and response capacity for LCG and provided a framework for historical data collection. The data are used to make improvements to LCG's roads and drainage systems to reduce future hazards.
Ouachita, Terrebonne recognized for their local innovations
Two transportation innovations had the locals talking at the recent Louisiana Parish Engineers and Supervisors Association (LPESA) Spring Conference where the winners of the 2019 Build a Better Mousetrap (BABM) Competition were awarded.
Ouachita Parish Public Works Department’s Catch Basin Lid Assist Tool was selected as this year’s Louisiana Winner. Jeremy Clack, Assistant Public Works Director of Ouachita Police Jury, shared how this tool was lightweight, efficient, and inexpensive way of lifting and lowering catch basin lids for inspection purposes. It only cost them less than one hundred dollars ($100) including labor. Truly innovative, indeed.
The Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government’s (TPCG) Salt Spreader, on the other hand, won the “People’s Choice Award” for having earned higher number of LIKES on social media. TPCG Public Works Director David Rome shared how this innovation saved them during the freeze of 2016 wherein they had numerous bridges and roads being iced over. They modified the seed spreader into a salt spreader, then used it as a deicing agent dispensing large amounts of pellets. It cost them $250 for modified casters only plus 4 hours of labor.
The entries were judged by a panel of judges based on four criteria: cost savings (30%), effectiveness (30%), ease of transfer (20%), and ingenuity (20%). Both entries were under the same category—Maintenance Tools and Methods The other categories include Asset Management Techniques, Facilities Improvements, and Inspection and Data Collection.
Ouachita’s Catch Basin Lid Assist Tool will be entered as Louisiana's entry at the national level to be done during the #NLTAPA conference in Stowe, Vermont this August.
BABM is an effort initiated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and coordinated through the LTAP Centers across the nation. The goal is to encourage local government agencies to create innovative solutions that respond to everyday problems that local transportation workers encounter.
View Louisiana's entries: https://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/ltap/pdf/2019_babm.pdf
LTAP Director Marie Walsh presented both awards to the winning agencies. LPESA President Tommy Durrett (left photo) accepted the First Place Winner award on behalf of Ouachita Parish. Senior Mechanic Christopher Infante (right photo) accepted the People’s Choice Award on behalf of Terrebonne Parish.
Lafayette Shares BABM Project: A Curb Inlet Drain Top
Through the years, Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG) employees have experienced numerous job injuries as it relates removing and reinstalling curb inlet catch basin tops. In an effort to reduce the number of injuries and make access safer, LCG contacted East Jordan Iron Works (EJI) with concepts of what they wanted and how we wanted these tops to work. The result is a safer top at a relatively small increase in cost. "We discussed with EJI the need to provide a more effective less injury type of cover. We requested a cover that would be hinged and still removable but could be lifted by one person with minimal effort," shares LCG public works city engineer Mitch Wyble. The benefits of this project include reduction of workmen's compensation claims which ultimately reduces insurance premiums and provides for more man-hours at work in lieu of sick leave. JOIN the BUILD A BETTER MOUSETRAP 2019 COMPETITION!