[StBernard] Neighbors oppose state transportation project

[Westley Annis]

Neighbors oppose state transportation project

Updated: 5:50 PM CST Jan 12, 2017
Travers Mackel  
Investigative Reporter

NEW ORLEANS -
A proposed roadway project through the Upper Ninth Ward, stretching from St.
Claude Avenue to I-10 near Franklin Avenue has some people up in arms.


Now they're trying to put the brakes on the proposed idea.

The community group "A Community Voice" is passing out flyers, and next
Thursday, they're holding a town hall style meeting to try and stop a state
transportation project from happening.

What they're opposing is a proposed plan by the Louisiana Department of
Transportation & Development called the Florida Avenue Corridor.

The DOTD website says the proposed idea "is to provide a reliable Florida
Avenue connection from Elysian Fields Avenue to Paris Road, provide an
optimal north-south connection from Florida Avenue to the Port of St.
Bernard."

It's in essence, designed to help truck traffic leaving the Port of St.
Bernard -- and people in the Upper Ninth Ward say it's a bad idea.

"We want them to reconsider, they can bring their trucks from the Port of
St. Bernard through Paris Road to the I-10, but for some reason they want to
come through Orleans Parish and we don't think it's necessary," said Debra
Campbell with A Community Voice. "We don't see the need for that in our
community, it would bring more traffic, pollution and property value
reduction."

A Community Voice is holding a town hall style meeting Jan. 19 at New Salem
Baptist Church.

In a statement, DOTD says:
DOTD is committed to continuing a common sense approach to the design of the
Florida Avenue project as it seeks to fulfill the constitutional obligation
to complete the project and to deliver multimodal access for both the
Orleans and St. Bernard communities as well as industry. The project was
mandated under the TIMED Program. The program began in 1989 when voters
approved a 4 cent/gallon tax on gasoline to fund the projects designated by
Act 16 of the 1989 Louisiana Legislature.

The Nov. 2016 neighborhood meeting presented the latest alternatives to
completing the concept and scope of the project. At this phase of the
project process, the build alternatives are being studied to look at all
possible routes that meet the purpose and needs of the corridor.

DOTD is working with legislators, city and parish officials, consultants and
the community to bring this project from concept to completion, and deliver
the best project for the corridor.