Top priority

LAFAYETTE – The Department of Transportation and Development hosted a road show last Wednesday in an effort to address concerns about the condition of state and federal roads within the state of Louisiana.
Those in attendance at the Lafayette meeting, standing up for the residents of Evangeline Parish and speaking on their behalf were: State Representative Bernad Lebas, Turkey Creek Mayor Heather Cloud, Evangeline Parish Police Juror Bryan Vidrine, EPPJ Public Works Director Chester Granger, Charles Tate, and Adam Janet.
The six locals traveled to Lafayette to put on record which roads in the parish are in the most need of major repairs.
Turkey Creek Mayor Heather Cloud provided senators, representatives, and DOTD employees with an informative packet on the roads, as she pleaded with them to make those repairs a priority. Cloud said, “I am here to discuss the same roads I have discussed at these road shows year after year.”
One of the roads on Cloud’s radar is Louisiana Highway 106, which is on DOTD’s priority list. While HWY 106 extends from I-49 to Pine Prairie, only the portion from Bayou Chicot to Pine Prairie has been placed on the list to be re-done.
Although Cloud would have liked to have seen the entire road on the list, she will take what she can get if it is going to be done correctly.
Cloud said, “Since only a portion of the road is going to be re-done, my hope is that if time and funding is going to be dedicated to this project, it is done right. We have seen youth lose their lives on this road. We have seen children lose their lives on this road just trying to make it to school. Even mothers have died trying to get to work.”
Cloud’s proposal of what should be done on this road is one that will take a lot of time and money. Cloud said, “Shoulders need to be put on HWY 106, and the road needs to be widened.”
HWY 106 was not the only road on Cloud’s mind however.
After speaking about issues concerning HWY 106, Cloud shifted gears and addressed another road in dire need of major fixes. Cloud said, “In your package I have provided you with pictures of U.S. Highway 167, because many of you don’t visit the rural part of Evangeline Parish.”
Cloud described HWY 167 as a road that is in “desperate condition.”
The mayor’s frustration about the condition of this road comes from the fact that, according to Cloud, this highway is the “hurricane evacuation rout for the cities of Eunice, Mamou, Chataignier, Ville Platte, Turkey Creek, and others.”
While speaking on behalf of her constituents, Cloud expressed how displeased she felt with the lack of attention her people and roads have gotten from the state. “I understand that many of you do not travel the north part of Evangeline Parish, but I just cannot understand for the life of me how this area keeps getting ignored.” Cloud then continued, “106 is a death trap and it is treacherous to drive. HWY 167, our route to safety, continues to be ignored.”
Cloud then helped the senators, representatives, and DOTD have a better understanding of why she feels that Evangeline Parish’s rural roads have been ignored.
Cloud said, “167 North was close to getting funded a few years ago, but because of some higher amounts of grant funding through federal dollars for the I-49 repairs, 167 was moved down on the priority list. How are we even suppose to get to I-49 if our roads are in such hazardous conditions. If a hurricane passes through, how are we going to even get to the interstate.”
Along with Cloud, Vidrine addressed the room concerning issues about HWY 106, as well.
Vidrine, who represents this area as its police jury member, asked that HWY 106 be re-done from Pine Prairie all the way to I-49. Vidrine said, “I am glad to see that a portion of 106 is on the priority list, but the rest of the road needs to be fixed as well.”
Vidrine was able to provide everyone with a recent accident he came across on HWY 106. Vidrine said, “When I was on my way to work this morning I drove up on an accident on the portion of HWY 106 that is not on the priority list. There are no shoulders, so if you go off the road you are going to end up in either a ditch or field. All of HWY 106 needs to be fixed because this is happening all of the time.”
The police juror echoed much of what Cloud said, stating, “If only the part from Pine Prairie to Bayou Chicot is going to be repaired, I just ask that you please make sure and do it correctly.”
To close out his time addressing the group, Vidrine did have something to be thankful to DOTD for. Vidrine said, “I would like to thank DOTD for beginning its work on Heritage Road. We really do appreciate it.”
After having experienced several of DOTD’s road shows, this most recent one has left Cloud feeling hopeful for the future of Louisiana’s roads. Cloud said, “My heart goes out to everyone in the audience today and to you guys too, because we are dealing with some serious issues that are not projects of convenience anymore. At previous road shows that I have attended, I heard a lot about projects of convenience. This time however, we finally spent more time talking about projects of necessity.”