The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury wants to use a Baton Rouge-based firm to help manage a plan that will improve and expand several state routes and one federal highway in the parish.
Members of the Public Works Committee on Thursday approved a resolution allowing for a professional services agreement between the parish and CSRS to provide professional and technical program development services for the Calcasieu Parish Transportation Initiative. The effort will use some parish-level and federal money to pay for five road projects, totaling $174.1 million.
The projects call for widening sections of La. 1256 and La. 27 near Sulphur, along with part of La. 384 that includes the intersection of Ihles and Country Club roads. A section of U.S. 171 from Broad Street north to Wal-Mart will also be widened, and improved traffic signals will be installed.
The initiative also calls for improving the connection from Westlake to Moss Bluff along La. 378.
Tim Conner, parish engineer, said CSRS will provide oversight during engineering and construction phases of the road projects. He said intersections will be improved first before crews move on to other parts of the roadways.
“It’s the most bang for your dollar as far as seeing immediate congestion relief,” Conner said.
The program came about because of a lack of funding on the state and federal levels.
“The Police Jury has been very supportive in being proactive in trying to provide some relief around the more congested areas in the parish,” Conner said. “Even though these are state routes and not our responsibility, they are our problem.”
The first phase of the plan called for creating manuals, scheduling and budgeting, and coordinating with the state Department of Transportation and Development to prepare reports detailing an overview of the project locations.
The requests for qualifications, done at the end of phase one, will be sent out next month to solicit proposals from engineering firms. The Police Jury will have to approve those engineering contracts before design work can begin. Relocating utilities and acquiring rights of way will also have to be done.
“I anticipate it will be ready to go to construction in a couple of years,” Conner said. “There are so many unknowns and variables when you’re dealing with the Corps of Engineers and property owners.”
The full Police Jury will take action on the agreement with CSRS at its April 6 regular meeting.
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