The Dec. 23 issue of Acadiana Business (“Big Deals of 2008 ”) reported a Lafayette delegation was asked by Gov. Bobby Jindal to come together on a single road project that would help Lafayette’s traffic problem. The solution they came up with is to widen U.S. Hwy. 90 South from four lanes to six, starting at Pinhook Road to Albertson Parkway in Broussard.
All this will accomplish is three lanes of traffic each way stopped at red lights instead of two. Brilliant. It is hard enough to cross two lanes of traffic much less three. Acadiana Ambulance and a few of the wrecker companies are sure to stay busy if this plan is allowed to go any further.
Apparently no one in this delegation has ever seen an overpass. They are all the rage in large progressive cities, and the technology has been around since dirt.
It is my humble opinion that the area and the taxpayers would be better served by constructing overpasses at the major intersections, if not all, along this route. Over Pinhook, Surrey/University, Kaliste Saloom, and if you’ve ever sat through 10 light cycles at these intersections you will know what I mean — Verot School, Southpark (Youngsville Hwy.), Morgan Street and Albertson Parkway. Merging lanes are already in place at most of these intersections.
This will help traffic problems at eight roadways by making improvements to one. I realize an overpass may be an expensive project, but it moves Hwy. 90 closer to becoming more like an interstate. And after all, isn’t that the direction we are going in with this highway? Concrete and steel aren’t going to get any cheaper; let’s do something right the first time for a change. If you agree or partially agree that this would be a better solution, please contact your local officials and state Sen. Mike Michot to voice your opinion.