Department of Transportation and Development
(rcarter@dotdmail.dotd.state.la.us)
Ronald Carter
District Traffic Operations Engineer
P O Box 831
Baton Rouge, La 70821

Ascension Parish President
(HMarchand@ascension.par.la.gov)
Harold Marchand
208 East Railroad
Gonzales, La. 70737

Dear Sirs:

Senate Bill 858 was passed into law by Governor Foster in the 1999 regular session. My interpretation of the act, in laymen’s terms is that just because a road does not comply with standards set by federal guidelines does not mean it's unreasonably dangerous. It must be proven that the failure to meet the standard requirements was the proximate cause of an accident because of it resulting in an unreasonably dangerous condition.

It is also my understanding that because of this law, that the sate and/or parish, must be put on notice before they can be held liable for property damage, injury, or death due to discrepancies that exist for that particular road in a court of law.

With receipt of this letter, consider the State of Louisiana and/or the Parish of Ascension put on notice as to the unsafe conditions existing on Highway 74 using descriptions below.

I point out that the entire south side of Highway 74 from Bluff Road to Highway 30 has dead trees hanging dangerously over the road. These trees are suspect to fall at any given time creating the possibility of property damage, injury or death to motorist traveling this heavily traveled road.

I might also point out that there have been two or three occasions over the past few months of downed trees across Highway 74.

Be advised, if there is any property damage, injury, or death after the date of this notice on Highway 74  due to fallen trees, 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 Inside Ascension Parish at http://www.inascension.com on the “Our Roads Page”.

Sincerely,

Chuck Le Mieux
 

Distribution List Name:            Our Roads

Ascension Citizen (Ascension Citizen)     citizen@eatel.net

Ascension Parish CAO (randerson@ascension.par.la.gov)

Ascension Parish Council CO (rloupe@ascension.par.la.gov)

Ascension Parish Councilman (ascpar01@eatel.net)

Ascension Parish Councilman (ascpar04@eatel.net)

Ascension Parish Councilman (ascpar05@eatel.net)

Ascension Parish Councilman (ascpar08@eatel.net)

Ascension Parish Councilman (ascpar10@eatel.net)

Ascension Parish Councilman (ascpar11@eatel.net)        

Ascension Parish Councilman (athompson@eatel.net)

Ascension Parish Councilman (savoy1@eatel.net)

Ascension Parish Executive Secretary (pcook@ascension.par.la.gov)       

Ascension Parish Public Works (blittle@ascension.par.la.gov)

Ascension Parish Public Works (broux@ascension.par.la.gov)

Ascension Parish Public Works (dbabin@ascension.par.la.gov)

Ascension Parish Public Works (dmitchell@ascension.par.la.gov)

Ascension Parish Sheriff Department (abacala809@aol.com)

Braud, Jennifer (cbraud1@eatel.net)

Department of Transportation and Development (JoeyTureau@dotd.state.la.us)

Department of Transportation and Development (pallain@dotdmail.dotd.state.la.us)

MacMillan, John (jmcmillan@theadvocate.com)    jmcmillan@theadvocate.com

Nelson, Gordon E (GordonNelson@dotdmail.state.la.us)

Representative Emma J. Devillier larep060@legis.state.la.us

Representative John Juba Diez (webreps@legis.state.la.us)

Representative Roy Quezaire Jr. (larep058@legis.state.la.us)

Senator Louis Lambert (websen@legis.state.la.us)

Troop A (Troop_A@dps.state.la.us)

Cardenas Law Firm (info@cardenaslaw.com)

Ward, Steven (sward@theadvocate.com)

WBRZ TV Channel 2 Road Patrol (jennifer@wbrz.com)

WBRZ TV News (MarvinH@WBRZ.com)

WBRZ TV News WBRZ TV News (peter@wbrz.com)

WBRZ TV News (news@wbrz.com)

Young, David (gonzwkly@eatel.net)
 

From: RonnieCarter@dotd.state.la.us
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2002 8:09 AM
To: Chuck Le Mieux
Subject: Re: hwy_74_trees.doc

Mr. Le Mieux, I've forwarded your e-mail to Terri Robison our District Maintenance Engineer.
 

From: RonnieCarter@dotd.state.la.us
Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2002 4:44 PM
To: Chuck Le Mieux
Subject: RE: hwy_74_trees.doc


Below is Ms. Robison's response.

We plan to remove 4 dead trees and trim several live oaks hanging over the roadway the week of May 13, 2000. Would you like to forward this info to Mr. LeMeiux.

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