LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / September 13, 2000

BOUTTE – The signs were placed months ago along the U.S. Highway 90corridor between Westwego and Raceland, stating the highway is the future corridor for Interstate 49.

At present, I-49 extends from Lafayette, north to Shreveport, providing a vital north-south link. Pressure from state government and in Congress aimsto have the highway extended all the way to New Orleans in 10 years.

U.S. Rep. Billy Tauzin noted that up until a few years ago getting the fundstogether for the long-range project was unlikely. “The state just didn’t havethe money,” he said.

However, with reclassification of the highway as a high-priority corridor, not only for an evacuation route but also as a vital commerce link, funds were freed through the Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century.

Under that program $15 million was made available for interchange improvements and $150 million for the project itself.

“It’s on its way now,” Tauzin noted. “There’s no reason whatsoever it can’tbe completed.”Ken Johnson of Tauzin’s office added that the U.S. Department ofTransportation has agreed to fund a full environmental documentation from Lafayette to Morgan City, a prerequisite to the construction. By early 2001,the same will be done on the segment from Raceland to New Orleans.

Meanwhile, St. Charles Parish Councilmen Barry Minnich and TerryAuthement, whose districts includes Des Allemands, Paradis and much of Boutte and Luling, have their doubts about the I-49 project.

“I’m not too sure I want it,” Minnich said, adding if it goes through Boutte, “I don’t want it to come.”If a bypass project is built instead, Minnich commented, “I probably wouldn’t have as much objection to it.”Authement went on a tour of the area with state Department of Transportation and Development officials six weeks ago, he said, and he was told it would be “near to impossible” to expand the existing U.S. 90 tointerstate grade.

“It’s obviously a serious issue,” Authement continued, pointing out that an elevated interstate through that route could cripple the downtown areas of Paradis and Boutte.

On the other hand, a bypass of the Paradis and Boutte area with a new highway would be less costly than building it along the U.S. 90 route. “On theother hand, it could be a positive thing for economic development if we stay on top of it,” said Authement, adding commercial development could be spurred by a bypass.

“Their opinion was that we wouldn’t see it in our lifetimes,” Authement said the state highway officials told him. “It would be very, very expensive.”

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