FOUR CORNERS –The corner of U.S. Hwy 90 and La. Hwy 318 is slated next for an overpass, but when and where it will be located, is the question.
State Secretary of the Department of Transportation Dr. William D. Ankner delivered that message on last night to nearly a crowd of 250 at the West St Mary Civic Center, who gathered hoping to hear a target date for a project they assert will save lives. (Since 2004, the corner of 90 and 318 has been the scene of 100 automobile accidents, and last year, two fatalities, according to Louisiana State Troop I Public Information Officer David Anderson.)
“This project will take two and a half years to begin construction, not finish it. It’s not going to happen overnight, and it is coming later than what I want. Believe me, I am impatient, but I too have to follow a process, one that has been set in place by prior legislators,” Ankner said.
“But I do intend to get the rolling this year with an environmental analysis to study right of way and mitigation issues, etc. I don’t know what the cost is going to be, but I do know that you will be involved in many more meetings.”
Anker said that an overpass over U.S.Hwy 90 at La. Hwy 85 in Patoutville is the first project on tap this year, and it will be paid for with monies from the stimulus bill proposed by President Barack Obama.
Resident Marion Matthews questioned Ankner as to whether the state DOTD could use stimulus money to complete the Four Corners project.
“What we’re going to do is take state money previously set aside for the Hwy 85 project, and move it to the Four Corners project,” he said. “One of the stipulations in using the stimulus money is that we have to earmark it for projects that are ‘shovel ready’, meaning they’re ready to go. Hwy 85 is ready to go, and will be paid for 100 percent with stimulus money.”
Ronald Guillot, manager of St. Mary Sugars, asked where the overpass would be located – over 318 via 90 or over 90 via 318.
Ankner said that all three alternatives in a feasibility study suggest the overpass be located over 90 via 318, with an interchange exit from 90 to 318.
“That’s not safe,” Guillot said. “How can you expect cane trucks to cross over 90 and then come down off of that overpass pulling that kind of weight during harvest season?” he asked.
“Additionally, there are at least 40,000 vehicles that pass this corner at that time,” Guillot said.
Virginia Sutton, director of the West St. Mary Civic Center, also questioned how tractors would be able to cross over U.S. 90 using La 318, during grinding season.
“We haven’t written anything in stone yet,” Ankner said. “But cost is going to have a role in this, and it could be cheaper to build it one place rather than another.”
St. Mary Parish Councilman Rev. Craig Matthews, who represents the Four Corners area, told Ankner, “We deserve for real dollars to be invested in this project. This community has been left destitute since it was founded.”
State Rep. Sam Jones, who is a member of the state Highway and Transportation Committee, assured the audience the project is on the DOTD agenda. “When it’s finished, there will be 40 miles of controlled highway between Patoutville and here,” he said. “This will be handled with expediency on our end within the committee.”
Ankner invited the audience to monitor the state DOTD website at http://www.dotd.louisiana.gov/, for future updates and notices.
State Secretary of the Department of Transportation Dr. William D. Ankner delivered that message on last night to nearly a crowd of 250 at the West St Mary Civic Center, who gathered hoping to hear a target date for a project they assert will save lives. (Since 2004, the corner of 90 and 318 has been the scene of 100 automobile accidents, and last year, two fatalities, according to Louisiana State Troop I Public Information Officer David Anderson.)
“This project will take two and a half years to begin construction, not finish it. It’s not going to happen overnight, and it is coming later than what I want. Believe me, I am impatient, but I too have to follow a process, one that has been set in place by prior legislators,” Ankner said.
“But I do intend to get the rolling this year with an environmental analysis to study right of way and mitigation issues, etc. I don’t know what the cost is going to be, but I do know that you will be involved in many more meetings.”
Anker said that an overpass over U.S.Hwy 90 at La. Hwy 85 in Patoutville is the first project on tap this year, and it will be paid for with monies from the stimulus bill proposed by President Barack Obama.
Resident Marion Matthews questioned Ankner as to whether the state DOTD could use stimulus money to complete the Four Corners project.
“What we’re going to do is take state money previously set aside for the Hwy 85 project, and move it to the Four Corners project,” he said. “One of the stipulations in using the stimulus money is that we have to earmark it for projects that are ‘shovel ready’, meaning they’re ready to go. Hwy 85 is ready to go, and will be paid for 100 percent with stimulus money.”
Ronald Guillot, manager of St. Mary Sugars, asked where the overpass would be located – over 318 via 90 or over 90 via 318.
Ankner said that all three alternatives in a feasibility study suggest the overpass be located over 90 via 318, with an interchange exit from 90 to 318.
“That’s not safe,” Guillot said. “How can you expect cane trucks to cross over 90 and then come down off of that overpass pulling that kind of weight during harvest season?” he asked.
“Additionally, there are at least 40,000 vehicles that pass this corner at that time,” Guillot said.
Virginia Sutton, director of the West St. Mary Civic Center, also questioned how tractors would be able to cross over U.S. 90 using La 318, during grinding season.
“We haven’t written anything in stone yet,” Ankner said. “But cost is going to have a role in this, and it could be cheaper to build it one place rather than another.”
St. Mary Parish Councilman Rev. Craig Matthews, who represents the Four Corners area, told Ankner, “We deserve for real dollars to be invested in this project. This community has been left destitute since it was founded.”
State Rep. Sam Jones, who is a member of the state Highway and Transportation Committee, assured the audience the project is on the DOTD agenda. “When it’s finished, there will be 40 miles of controlled highway between Patoutville and here,” he said. “This will be handled with expediency on our end within the committee.”
Ankner invited the audience to monitor the state DOTD website at http://www.dotd.louisiana.gov/, for future updates and notices.
ABOVE PHOTOS:
#1 - MARION MATTHEWS AND PASTOR DONALD GRIMM LISTEN TO DR. WILLIAM ANKNER OF THE STATE DOTD.
#2 - STATE REP. SAM JONES AND ANKNER.
#3 - ANKNER.
#4 - AUDIENCE
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