Dutchtown School Road Dutchtown

March 28, 2000

Mr. Harold Marchand
Ascension Parish President
208 East Railroad Av
Gonzales, La. 70737

Re: Notice of unsafe road conditions existing at Dutchtown School Road, Dutchtown

Dear Sir:

It is my understanding that because of laws signed into effect by the governor, that the state and/or parish must be put on notice before they can be held liable for property damage, injury, or death due to safety discrepancies for a particular road.

That is the intent of this letter. Consider the Parish of Ascension put on notice as to the unsafe conditions existing on Dutchtown School Road in Dutchtown using the pictures and descriptions attached.

While I point out one particular area of the road, be advised that there are numerous safety hazards the entire length of Dutchtown School Road.

It is my opinion that the only way to widen the road would be to lay culvert both sides, and the entire length, and to then fill in the ditches.

Be advised, if there is any property damage, injury, or death after the date of this notice, I will do my utmost to bring this notice to the attention of those involved and their attorneys.

This letter and its attachments have been published to the web site http://inascension.com on the “Our Roads” page.

Chuck Le Mieux

Cc/fax to:

Mr. Cecil Picard Louisiana State Board of Education
Mr. Robert Clouatre Superintendent Ascension Parish School Board
Ms. Elizabeth Stafford Dutchtown Primary School Principal
Ms. Cathy Merideth Dutchtown Middle Scholl Principal
The Ascension Parish Council
Mr. Anthony Falterman Ascension Parish District Attorney
Mr. Ronnie Fairchild Ascension Parish Dept of Public Works
Mr. John (Juba) Diez Louisiana State Representative
Mr. Harry Robert Insurance Agent for Ascension Parish
Ms. Jean Payne of Gallagher Bassett Insurance Services
Mr. Jeff Wiley Ascension Parish Sheriff
The Advocates River Parish Office
The Gonzales Weekly
The Community Mirror
The Ascension Citizen
Ascension Parish TV
Channel Two News
Channel Two – Two On your Side
Channel 9
Channel 33

You can now keep track of  the efforts put forth by the parish to remove the safety issues they have been put on notice of. Original pictures of the roads will now have the tag "click here for updates" if and when improvements have been made or follow ups sent. Clicking on this tag will take you to a new page with pictures of the work done, or not done, by the parish. You can then make up your mind whether their effort was satisfactory or not.

Looking north east side of road

Inadequate shoulder
Steep vertical drop off
No speed signs east side of road

Looking north east side of road

Inadequate shoulder
Steep vertical drop off

Looking north west side of road

Inadequate shoulder
Steep vertical drop off

Looking north center of road

Road very narrow only 18 feet 6 inches wide entire length


Looking south from school entrance gate

Vehicles driving on wrong side of road
crossing double solid yellow lines
all taken 3/28/00

Looking south from school entrance gate

Vehicles driving on wrong side of road
crossing double solid yellow lines
all taken 3/28/00


 


There have been 281 traffic deaths from 1995 through 2007 on Ascension Parish roads
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Date this page was last updated February 29, 2008