Louisiana

[brownpelican]

Well, a lot of people - especially businesses - are not happy with the slow progress of the US 190 widening project in Mandeville.  The project was supposed to wrap up this month after a year of construction but the contractor - Command Construction of Metairie - is having trouble with the project, according to state Rep. Tim Burns, who is threatening legal action if the company doesn't come up with a plan to finish the work faster.

Burns put those complaints in his letter, saying the crews are undermanned and the company shows little regard for their effects on the area. Burns then said if he didn't get a detailed plan to finish the work timely, and fully staffed, he would look into legal action.

The company told Eyewitness News, through a DOTD spokesperson, that they had already responded to Burns' request. As to what that response entails, we weren't told.

http://www.wwltv.com/news/northshore/Mandeville-lawmaker-threatens-legal-action-over-slow-pace-of-road-construction-254629761.html

[cjk374]

I-20 now has cable barrier in the median in Bienville Parish.  Saw this starting last week.

[brownpelican]

Some notes from the NOLA area:

* DOTD asks the Regional Planning Commission to use more than $5 million in unclaimed tolls to A. paint and clean the Eastbank bound span of the CCC and B. rehab the Harvey Tunnel.
* The department department also seeks to use $10.9 million in federal money and $1.9 million in toll credits for:

     -$600,000 in toll credits for demolition of the old toll plaza, a $3.3 million project.
     -$600,000 for U.S. 90-Claiborne Avenue ramp improvements. The estimated cost is $3 million.
     -$400,000 for New Orleans Hospitality Zone Ramp meters, a $2 million project.
     -$1 million in federal funding for U.S. 90 Business pavement marking replacement. No credits are required because it is a safety project.
     -$320,000 in toll credits for the engineering phase of MacArthur Boulevard interchange project on the West Bank. That projected cost is $1.6 million.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/undedicated_crescent_city_conn.html#incart_river

[jbnv]

DOTD asks the Regional Planning Commission to use more than $5 in unclaimed tolls to A. paint and clean the Eastbank bound span of the CCC and B. rehab the Harvey Tunnel.

Good thing it's more. Even DOTD can't make $5 go that far. 

[pctech]

It's official! Baton Rouge's streets are becoming the pot holed riddle mess that they were before the street rehabilitation program of 1990's was begun. They are resorting to dribbling a mixture of loose asphalt and rocks into them, which flies out as soon as the first vehicle crosses......

[mcdonaat]

It's official! Baton Rouge's streets are becoming the pot holed riddle mess that they were before the street rehabilitation program of 1990's was begun. They are resorting to dribbling a mixture of loose asphalt and rocks into them, which flies out as soon as the first vehicle crosses......

I wonder if, once all of the projects are done for the Green Light program, the city would ask for a tax renewal, and use it to fix the streets. Some things should be done with state money, like the extension of Staring Lane to Nicholson, and rerouting LA 327 Spur from Gardere onto Staring, but most everything else can be parish funded.

[pctech]

I think that some of the Green Light money has been used on state highways (new traffic signals on LA 73/Jefferson Hwy. come to mind) because DODT simply didn't have the funds. We'd be waiting centuries for them otherwise.

[mcdonaat]

I think that some of the Green Light money has been used on state highways (new traffic signals on LA 73/Jefferson Hwy. come to mind) because DODT simply didn't have the funds. We'd be waiting centuries for them otherwise.

Weren't those lights put up for a sidewalk project or something? I know that, downtown, new signals were put up, but it was a city project that the state didn't want to deal with.

[txstateends]

It's official! Baton Rouge's streets are becoming the pot holed riddle mess that they were before the street rehabilitation program of 1990's was begun. They are resorting to dribbling a mixture of loose asphalt and rocks into them, which flies out as soon as the first vehicle crosses......

Dribbling??  Wow, I thought Dallas' pothole problem was bad....

[lamsalfl]

I've never really looked at I-310 traffic counts until just now.  62,295 for the busiest segment (I-10 to US 61)!  The lowest traffic count is 39,528 between Exits 7 and 10.

[apjung]

I've never really looked at I-310 traffic counts until just now.  62,295 for the busiest segment (I-10 to US 61)!  The lowest traffic count is 39,528 between Exits 7 and 10.

Now I see the reasoning why the viaduct section isn't 70 MPH.

[mcdonaat]

I've never really looked at I-310 traffic counts until just now.  62,295 for the busiest segment (I-10 to US 61)!  The lowest traffic count is 39,528 between Exits 7 and 10.

Now I see the reasoning why the viaduct section isn't 70 MPH.

I, too, never realized how high the traffic count was. I wonder if it will grow when I-310 is (hopefully) extended to meet I-49... and possibly widened to an extra lane in each direction.

[apjung]

Pontchartrain Expressway lakebound at I-10 will return to 3 lanes with ramp meters installed
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/three_lanes_to_return_to_pontc.html

[codyg1985]

Pontchartrain Expressway lakebound at I-10 will return to 3 lanes with ramp meters installed
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/three_lanes_to_return_to_pontc.html

I'm assuming the Claiborne on-ramps will get ramp meters?

[Stephane Dumas]

Some road signs in Louisiana will be billingual French-English.
http://news.msn.com/us/louisiana-lawmakers-want-drivers-to-arret

[brownpelican]

Speed cameras are officially banned in the Pelican State thanks to Gov. Jindal's signature, effective Jan. 1, 2015.

http://theadvocate.com/home/9229166-125/speed-cameras-to-be-banned

[brownpelican]

Some road signs in Louisiana will be billingual French-English.
http://news.msn.com/us/louisiana-lawmakers-want-drivers-to-arret

I can see the signs popping up all over Acadiana.

[jbnv]

Some road signs in Louisiana will be billingual French-English.
http://news.msn.com/us/louisiana-lawmakers-want-drivers-to-arret

I can see the signs popping up all over Acadiana.

Lafayette has had bilingual street signs before. This particular picture is 10 years old.

[Anthony_JK]

Downtown Lafayette still has them today.

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.227311,-92.015885,3a,75y,90h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sai1QBF6c3Ivj2Zh2hqOh0w!2e0

This is the intersection of Jefferson and Cypress Streets.

[brownpelican]

Lawmakers today passed a bill that officially named the I-10 Twin Span after the late WWL-TV reporter and chef Frank Davis, dubbed the Frank Davis Memorial Bridge.

[mcdonaat]

Lawmakers today passed a bill that officially named the I-10 Twin Span after the late WWL-TV reporter and chef Frank Davis, dubbed the Frank Davis Memorial Bridge.

Unanimous approval, 90-0.

[Alex]

When did Baton Rouge get ramp meters?

[codyg1985]

When did Baton Rouge get ramp meters?

I want to say it has been within the past couple of years. When I was living close to New Orleans, I didn't remember any when I went to Baton Rouge, but when I last drove through there in March 2013, I saw them along I-12.

[jbnv]

When did Baton Rouge get ramp meters?

I want to say it has been within the past couple of years. When I was living close to New Orleans, I didn't remember any when I went to Baton Rouge, but when I last drove through there in March 2013, I saw them along I-12.

I think it's at least a decade. It's been quite a while.

[brownpelican]

It's only been two, two and a half years for I-12's ramp meters. Started out in Baton Rouge and went eastward. I don't know if they're planned for the Walker exit when that section is widened.