DOTD marks installation of cable barriers on LA 3132 in Caddo Parish
Wednesday, March 08, 2017 at 10:37:05 AM
Shreveport, La. – Tuesday, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Dr. Shawn Wilson participated in a groundbreaking ceremony to announce the installation of median cable barriers along LA 3132 in Shreveport. The project, awarded to Massana Construction, will install approximately 10 miles of cable barriers in Caddo Parish. The ceremony was held at the Caddo Sheriff’s Safety Town facility in Shreveport.
“We made a commitment to the State of Louisiana that we would proceed with a very robust, cross-median barrier system,” said Sec. Wilson. “And we are committed to doing that.”
As of February 2017, DOTD has installed 257 miles of cable barriers across interstates in Louisiana at an investment of $31 million. However, LA 3132 in Shreveport is the first non-interstate highway upon which the barriers will be installed. There are currently 46 miles of cable barriers under construction along other interstates across the state.
“One of the success stories of cable barriers is that it allows us to document near-misses. And each one of those near-misses is a saved life, in my opinion,” said Sec. Wilson. “Because when a vehicle is stopped from crossing the median into oncoming traffic, that’s a success.”
Cable barriers are designed to prevent head-on collisions by deflecting vehicles that veer into the median from crossing over into oncoming traffic. They act as a net to catch vehicles and redirect them into the median by not pushing vehicles back into traffic.
“A large part of what we do as law enforcement is education,” said Trooper Matt Harris, with Louisiana State Police Troop G. “When we educate the public about driving safely, we know the engineering of these cable barriers is in place to save their life even if they do exit the roadway into the median.”
“We will continue to reach out for solutions to make sure we’re doing all we can do to provide safety, not only in Shreveport, but also across the State of Louisiana,” said Rep. Barbara Norton (District 3).
Rep. Thomas Carmody (District 6) said, “For those us of who travel the state all the time, we see too many white crosses in right-of-ways. Each one represents somebody’s child, parent or loved one. At least this is another step in trying to make the public as safe as possible.”
Tammy Willson, mother of Casey Colley, a young woman who lost her life in a cross-over fatality crash on LA 3132 in 2013, also spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony. She said, “Casey’s laughter was contagious and her smile lit up a room. She was so much more than a daughter. She was my best friend, my life.”
“After Casey’s passing, my goal was to immediately have cable barriers placed on LA 3132 and all of the Louisiana highways across the state where they’re needed,” Tammy Willson said.
“I think it’s important that we put a face and a name to these cases. For us, in our office, it may be a set of plans. It may be a median. It may be a bridge,” Sec. Wilson said. “But behind that, the instigation and importance of it is a face.”
DOTD performs studies on all interstates throughout Louisiana to determine where cable median barriers would be most beneficial in preventing cross-over collisions. The criteria used are number of vehicles crossing the median per mile, as well as traffic volume and average speed of vehicles traveling on the roadway.
Sec. Wilson’s goal is to ensure that all interstate and non-interstate highways that meet the criteria see cable barriers installed. In total, that’s 606 miles of installation, at an investment of $104.5 million.
Over the years, DOTD has spearheaded multiple initiatives, such as the installation of over 2,100 miles of center line rumble strips and roundabouts, as well as working on public awareness campaigns with federal safety partners and state and local law enforcement partners to discourage texting while driving and encourage motorists to buckle up.
For more information, please visit www.dotd.la.gov, email dotdcs@la.gov, or call DOTD’s Customer Service Center at (225) 379-1232 or 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683). Business hours are 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Motorists can access up-to-date travel information by dialing 511 or by visiting www.511la.org. Out-of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511).
L to R: Rep. Thomas Carmody, Rep. Barbara Norton, DOTD Sec. Shawn Wilson, Tammy Willson, Paul Willson, Dan Magri (DOTD), Gary Golley, Kelly Hatfield
