What's been accomplished with Highway 74?
It's now been over seven months, with numerous phone calls, letters, faxes, and interviews by Channel Two and Ascension Parish TV. Has it been fruitful? Yes and no. Yes with regards to the safety devices put in place and hopefully those that will follow. And no, in my opinion, with our elected and appointed state and parish officials efforts to insure parish residents safety.
First lets see where we stand with removing the serious safety hazards that exist or did exist at Highway 74 and the Dutchtown School Road entrance.
After seven long months there is now a crossing guard to insure students and their parents can safely enter and exit Dutchtown School Road.
Although the great majority of parents applauded the placing of a crossing
guard, there were a few who bitched that the crossing guard was making them late
to drop off their children making them tardy. All I can say to those very few
is, "How about leaving the house five minutes earlier?"
With the advent of the crossing guard came a request I'm told by
someone in the Dutchtown School System for the parish to install school zone
signs.
I have been informed by the D.O.T.D. that the signs are illegal as they have not made a final decision to determine this area a school zone and allow school zone signs and flashing warning lights. The D.O.T.D. did however decide to leave the signs in place until a final decision is made.
If you would like to ask the D.O.T.D. to act in favor of determining this a
school zone drop
Mr. Carter at the D.O.T.D. an email with your comments.
As for state and parish elected and appointed officials efforts to remove the safety hazards to insure parish residents health and safety? In my opinion? Little to none! To review who did and didn't put forth a concerned effort you can go to the "Need To Know Page" where a complete history of this issue is posted under "An accident just waiting to happen", and the article on this page entitled "Only one person in the Whole damned parish"
For once steps have been taken to insure that property damage, personal injury, or death does not occur before the fact. Sad to say that all to often in the past it has been after the fact.
Suggestions and comments about this issue can be sent via the feedback form on this issue or via email to me.
And now at last after many long months the D.O.T.D. finally agrees that there is a serious safety issue at Highway 74 and the Dutchtown School Road.
From: RonnieCarter@dotd.state.la.us
Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2000 10:36 AM
To: Chuck Le Mieux
Cc: PeterAllain@dotd.state.la.us; GordonNelson@dotd.state.la.us
Subject: Re: hwy74Update.doc
In accordance with our phone conversation today and your request, this will
document that this office concurs with the placement of a school speed zone
on La 74. However, we recommend replacing the hour sign plate with a sign
plate with the legend "When Flashing", which could be activated by the
crossing guard. This would limit the speed zone only to the necessary
time, rather than a mandatory 2-hour period. Our office has also
recommended the construction of a left-turn lane on La 74 to facilitate the
left turns into and out of the school road. As I mentioned, these
recommendations require approval of other personnel within the Department
prior to implementation, and if the left-turn lane is approved, the
scheduling of this work cannot be determined at this time. Also, one
thing that I may have failed to mention to you is that the Department does
not install flashing school zone signs, but only grants permits for them to
be installed. The local school board is responsible for installation (by
permit), operation and maintenance of these signs (the Department only
installs non-flashing school zone signs). However, as I'm sure you've
noticed, these signs are regularly installed in this manner.
