By LEONARD GRAY

BATON ROUGE – The consensus is in – a proposed intermodal facility linking air, highway, rail and the Mississippi River in a unique transportation format is “like Christmas came for us today,” Donaldsonville City Commissioner Margaret Bonadona said.

Area community leaders were practically unanimous in their support for the Louisiana Airport Authority’s project, even those whose parishes missed out on the site location. The facility, 10 years in the planning, could have all its permits by the end of 2004, and be ready to open for business by late 2008, with four 12,000-foot runways.

“I just think it’s good news for Louisiana and good news for St. James Parish,” said St. James Parish President Dale Hymel Jr., who serves as LAA vice-chairman.

Hymel said since the West Bank of St. James Parish is perched on the site’s doorstep, and would likely reap sales tax benefits down the road, “We’re sitting pretty.”

Winfield Beyea of URS Corp. identified two potential sites, winnowed down from at least 50 and reviewed through such criteria as population, wetlands, available acreage, community acceptance and constructability. The primary 25,300-acre site is perched in a major bend of the river and compresses all the elements of the intermodal facility, straddling Iberville (45 percent), Ascension (54 percent) and Assumption (1 percent) parishes.

This site is between Donaldsonville and White Castle, and between the river and Belle Rose.

Hymel expressed a measure of disappointment the primary site was not located in St. James Parish, which has been hurt economically in recent years with the loss of major industries including IMC-Agrico and American Iron Reduction and the strike and explosion at Kaiser, all of which hobbled the parish economy. However, as the massive project develops, ancillary businesses are expected to come in, population will move into the region and more businesses will come to service that population, providing job opportunities and sales tax revenues.

“As you bring jobs in, they’ve got to locate somewhere,” Hymel said.

The secondary site under consideration has a sizeable chunk of acreage in St. James Parish. This 29,000-acre alternate site has 2 percent in Iberville, 55 percent in Ascension, 25 percent in Assumption and 18 percent in St. James Parish.

“I hope this gets permitted,” Hymel said.

He said he was initially surprised the primary and alternate sites were so close, geographically, “but then, the more you study it, the more it makes sense.”

The site selection was based on the following:
• Highest concentration of deep-draft port access,
• Best network of existing and planned interstate highways,
• Greatest choice of freight and passenger rail,
• Highest concentration of population,
• and between the metro areas of Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Coming up, the master plan for development is due to be completed in spring 2003, selection of the major developer will be in mid-2003, satisfy federal environmental concerns by the end of 2004, complete land acquisition by 2005, begin construction by 2006 and possibly open the first phase in late 2008.

Long-range development plans go as far as 50 years, Hymel said.

Several St. James Parish council members likewise attended the unveiling of the project plans Thursday at the state Department of Transportation and Development office in Baton Rouge, and they expressed their support as well.

Jimmy Brazan, of the Vacherie area, said he was “disappointed” it was not wholly in St. James Parish, as the area needs an economic boost. He added, “I hope they get it going. I hope they expedite it.”

Timmy Roussel added, “I really hope St. James Parish gets some benefit. We’ve got a surplus but we’ve dug into it the last year or two.”

Elwyn Bocz commented of the site, “I think it’s a great decision.”

Further downstream, St. John the Baptist Parish President Nickie Monica said, “I feel its a great thing for the region and the state of Louisiana. It will affect all the state.

“People don’t realize the magnitude of this project.”

LAA Chairman Glen Smith said prior to the announcement, “I was very pleased with what I saw,” when he first received the report from URS Corp., and he estimates the population displacement may be as little as 900 people.

Some opposition was voiced after the press conference during the LAA’s public comment period of its meeting.

Christine Duhe of Gramercy voiced her expectation the facility will in time include passenger service and hurt the existing New Orleans and Baton Rouge airports, and also feared it could become a terrorist target.

“I’m scared to death that, God forbid, what happened in New York might happen in my small community,” she said.

Gov. Mike Foster said at first some people did not take the LAA seriously but saw the group itself, which was established by Gov. Edwin Edwards, as having “nothing it it for them but a better Louisiana.”

Foster stressed no public funds will go into the project and, for the foreseeable future, a minimum of infrastructure development will be paid for with state funds.

“All I can tell you is I’m impressed,” Foster said.

U.S. Rep. John Cooksey, a candidate for the Senate and vice-chairman of the House Aviation Committee, said, “Edwin Edwards had the vision to appoint the LAA and Gov. Foster had the wisdom to perpetuate it.”