December 3rd Meeting-Public Comments

Dec 3, 2015

Sierra Club Acadian Group Y-49 meeting

Lafayette downtown public library

View entire event on youtube      https://youtu.be/yf9sVqQI1wU

Questions and Concerns from public comments voiced at the meeting:

1. Better to pay to clean up toxics now rather than pay much more later in health care costs.
2. How far along is DOTD in acquiring property for the right of way (ROW)?
3. What happens to houses after they are moved – Is there a process to relocate historic buildings/houses? Response – that is dependent on personal transactions between homeowners and DOTD.
4. What specific plans are there for cleanup of toxics before acquisition and construction?
5. With hazardous materials in the Evangeline corridor, is an alternate route in consideration? Response – No alternative route is being considered.
6. How does an elevated expressway help traffic?
7. How does an elevated expressway help the community? Response – DOTD is responding to what the community said 20 years ago.
8. What about traffic problems, people running out of gas, accidents on an elevated expressway during hurricane evacuation? Response – it would be safer than it is now.
9. If purpose is to move Oil and equipment why not alternate routes?
10. Does DOTD have to go through historic preservation process? Response – Yes, it is called the Section 106 process.
11. The cost of the project has gone up from 100s of Millions to $3B.
12. What would it take to look at a new alignment.
13. Eisenhower – Interstates were supposed to go around (not through) communities.
14. What is decided, what can be changed?
15. We have heard that elevated expressway can be an enhancement, be attractive. Where can I go to see that? Response – Yes we can design to be attractive. An example of what can be done is in New Orleans at the West Bank Expressway. It is not a great example; we can do better than that.
16. Everyone should know that what the DOTD is talking about is 22 ft high, 150 ft wide, all concrete underneath. Response – that design was a literal translation of the Record of Decision (ROD), the final design does not have to be exactly like that. There was a 2002 document published from work with three coteries that was considered in developing the design. Now there are 5 coteries.
17. How big is the hazardous waste area, how much overlap with the project area? Response – Project is next to and inside of the boundaries of hazardous waste sites. We should demand that the Railroad fix the problem because if they don’t it will be on the taxpayers to fix it.
18. What would it take to convince you that this (elevated) is not what the community wants?
19. Why are we talking about an interstate? Shouldn’t we be talking about connecting our community? Response – we got a grant to look at connecting the community.
20. Way back there were two referenda against the elevated expressway. Political leaders went ahead with it anyway.
21. In 2003 I went to look for letters at city hall, only four letters in support.
22. Could we do it at grade? Response – ROD would not allow that change, elevated will help connectivity.
23. Why is the EIS being called final? Can we do another study? Response – a new alignment would require a new EIS.
24. What stage is the project at now?
25. What is the procedure to change the EIS/ROD?
26. With standard interstate cost at $17M per mile and elevated cost at $350M per mile this project will not happen.
27. What are the alternatives (to elevated)? Wouldn’t it be better to take advantage of fed $ to mitigate the toxic waste sites?
28. If you design for 20 yrs ahead and it takes 20 yrs to build, shouldn’t we be designing for 40 years, what transportation changes will occur in that time?
29. How will the elevated help local traffic? Response – It will take some local traffic
30. How do we go about getting a change of the decision? Response – That would have to be considered by Local government and DOTD. DOTD is now taking input, will incorporate all comments into the process.
31. Our community (McV) is divided by Evangeline now. An elevated expressway might be better.

View entire event on youtube     https://youtu.be/yf9sVqQI1wU