May 2, 2000
I met today with Mr. Marchand to discuss the road issues here in
Ascension Parish. He has assured me that bringing the roads up to acceptable
safety standards was one of his top priorities. According to Mr. Marchand the
next road upgrade will deal extensively with widening roads. This in most cases
will require laying culvert in ditches and filling the ditch over in order to
widen the road.
Mr. Marchand has put me in contact with Mr. George (Buster)
Brown of the Ascension Public Works Department to report unsafe roads. If you
would like to contact Mr. Brown yourself to report a road safety issue he can be
reached at 621-5730. I might add that my contacts with Mr. Brown on safety
issues so far have been fruitful. He seems genuinely concerned with the issue.
I contacted Mr. Marchand last week about the D.O.T.D.'s
recommendation to install flashing school zone lights and turn lanes at Highway
74 and the Dutchtown School Road. He brought me up to date by telling me
that he has since been in contact with the D.O.T.D., public works, and, in my
opinion from past experience a waste of time, with Mr. Clouatre the Ascension
Parish School Superintendent, (See issues on the Need To Know Page concerning
the school board). Hopefully a permit will be issued and the flashing lights
installed before the opening of school this fall. Turn lanes most likely will
require more time to implement.
Mr. Marchand also suggested to Mr. Clouatre the possibility of
enlarging the rear parking lot at the Dutchtown Schools. Again it's my opinion
that Mr. Marchand is wasting his breath talking to this man.
Of the six parish roads I have reported thus far, three have
been investigated by the public works department and work begun on them to
resolve the safety issues. Those Three roads are Babin Road, C. Braud Road, and
Depen Street.
Babin Road will undergo a major repair at the curve to widen it.
And hopefully install adequate guard railing.
I would also like to give credit on the resolve of the Babin
Road issue to Ms. Jennifer Sheffield of Channel Two and her Channel
Two Road Patrol program.
C. Braud will exclude hazardous cargo vehicles using it to
bypass the Dutchtown School area, possible weight limitations to stop it's use
altogether by tractor-trailer trucking, and possible speed limitations.
Depen Street will have its shoulders widened and guard railing
installed.
I questioned Mr. Marchand about the lack of painted white lines
along the sides roads that have recently been repaved. This would seem to me a
must, especially on unlit roads. He said he would look into this.
If you feel your road, or know of a road in the parish that
requires attention, you can contact Mr. Brown of the public works department at
621-5730, the parish president at 621-5709, fill out the feedback form on this
site on the "Our Roads" page, or contact the Parish President on his
web site at www.ascensionparish.net
using the option there to contact him by email.
Cc/Fax to:
Mr. Harold Marchand Ascension Parish President
The Ascension Parish Council
Mr. Anthony Falterman Ascension Parish District Attorney
Mr. Jeff Wiley Ascension Parish Sheriff
Sgt. Richardson of the Ascension Parish Sheriff Department
Mr. George Brown Ascension Parish Dept of Public Works
Mr. Robert Clouatre Ascension Parish School Superintendent
Ms. Elizabeth Stafford Dutchtown Primary Principle
Ms. Cathy Meredith Dutchtown Middle Principle
Mr. John (Juba) Diez Louisiana State Representative
Channel 9 TV
Channel 33 TV
Cc/email to:
Ms. Jennifer Sheffield Channel 2’s Education Reporter
Ms. Jennifer Sheffield Channel Two Road Patrol
Ms. Keisha Lacour Channel 2 Two On Your Side
Mr. J. Connelly Channel 2 News Room
Mr. John MacMillan The Advocate’s River Parish Office
Mr. David Young The Gonzales Weekly
Mr. David Young The Community Mirror
Mr. David Young Ascension Parish TV
The Ascension Citizen
Mr. Cecil Picard Louisiana Board of Education
Mr. Ronald Carter D.O.T.D. 