By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – With the popularity of the multi-purpose trail atop the Mississippi River levee in St. John and St. Charles parishes continuing to grow, the St. John Council recently engaged in a discussion regarding parking availability near the trail.

“We built it, and they want to come, but there is no place to park,” said Councilwoman Darnel Usry, who represents the area that includes the newly completed trail.

“Residents want to be able to access the trail safely,” said Usry.

Parish President Natalie Robottom said parking concerns were part of the plan in designing and developing the trail project. She said the parish had entered into negotiations with landowners to purchase nearby property along the foot of the levee, but many were unwilling to sell.

“We thought we had a perfect location for parking near where we broke ground,” said Robottom, referring to a plot of land across from Emily C. Watkins Elementary School in LaPlace. “The landowners did not want to sell, so we moved forward without plans for parking in order to keep the project going on schedule.”

Robottom said the parish also had discussions with the St. John Parish school system in hopes the parish could use the parking lot at Emily C. Watkins, but representatives from the state Department of Transportation and Development had safety concerns about residents crossing River Road in that area.

“We are still open to suggestions regarding locations, and we are still seeking options, but people are using the trail even without parking and without access ramps,” Robottom said.

“We are considering a site near East 28th Street near the Dupont plant for a ramp and possible parking area, but that would be developed as part of phase two of the trail,” she added.

The current path in St. John extends from the St. Charles Parish line to Walnut Street near Emily C. Watkins Elementary School in LaPlace. The parish has taken bids on the 3.5-mile second phase of the path, which will extend it from Walnut Street to East 29th Street. That project, which should begin by early 2012, is budgeted at about $900,000 and will be paid for with grants.

A third phase of the project will extend the path from East 29th Street to West 10th Street in Reserve.