State Project No. 700-48-0101

Federal-Aid Project No. HP-T021 (020)

St. John the Baptist and St. James Parishes

I-10, U.S. 61, LA 44 Accessway Alternative

Notice is hereby given that the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) will conduct a Public Hearing for State Project No. 700-48-0101, Federal-Aid Project No. HP-T021 (020). This Public Hearing is scheduled for Thursday, October 14, 2004, at 6:00 P.M. at the Reserve Branch of the St. John the Baptist Parish Library located at 170 West 10^th Street, Reserve, Louisiana 70084.

The project is proposing the development of a more efficient accessway that would connect U.S. Interstate 10 (I-10) to U.S. Highway 61 (U.S. 61) to LA Highway 44 (LA 44, River Road) within St. John the Baptist and St. James Parishes.

The preferred northern alternative (AP-6b) consists of a new roadway with an at-grade section requiring 150-foot right-of-way transitioning to an elevated section requiring 100-foot right-of-way through bald cypress-tupelogum swamp. The preferred northern alternative would be a controlled access roadway, meaning that no secondary development would be allowed along the elevated portion of AP-6b or at the interchange of AP-6b and I-10.

The preferred southern alternative is Upgrading West 10th Street with subsurface drainage. The improvements consist of a three-lane road with curb and gutter and subsurface drainage requiring a 75-foot right-of-way. The expansion of the roadway from U.S. 61 south to the KCS Railroad will occur completely to the east of the centerline to avoid the relocation of a commercial/industrial facility. This alternative alignment will contain an S-curve to the west of the centerline south of the KCS Railroad. Expansion of this roadway south of the KCS Railroad south to LA 44 will occur completely to the west of the centerline to avoid relocations of multiple residential and public facilities.

Detailed information relative to the project is available to those interested through copies of the Environmental Assessment (EA). This information is available for review and/or copying at the Department’s District 61 Office located at 8100 Airline Highway, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70815 and at the Departments District 62 Office located at 683 North Morrison, Hammond, Louisiana 70401. Copies of this data will be made available upon request at the expense of the person requesting this information, and at a cost equal to the Department’s cost of reproduction. The EA is available, for review only, at the Federal Highway Administration Division Office at 5304 Flanders Drive, Suite A, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and at the DOTD Environmental Section Office, 1201 Capital Access Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The EA is also available for review at St. John the Baptist Parish Library located at 2920 Highway 51, LaPlace, Louisiana 70068, St. James Parish Library located at 1879 West Main Street, Lutcher, Louisiana 70071, and Reserve Public Library located at 170 West 10th Street, Reserve, Louisiana 70084.

All Interested persons or their representatives are invited to be present at the above time and place for the purpose of becoming acquainted with the preliminary planning for the highway improvement being considered. They will be afforded an opportunity to express their views concerning the proposed project’s specific location, major design features, and the probable social, economic, and environmental effects involved.

Oral comments will be received. To enable statements to be presented within a reasonable time period, and for the accuracy of the official hearing record, it is suggested that oral comments be supplemented by presenting important facts and supporting documentation in writing.

The cooperation and assistance of persons conforming to this request will be appreciated. Written statements and comments should be handed in to the DOTD’s official conducting the hearing, or can be mailed to the address below, postmarked within ten days following the hearing.

If you require special assistance due to a disability in order to participate at this Public Hearing, please contact the DOTD Environmental Section by mail at the address below or by telephone at (225) 242-4507 at least five working days prior to the Public Hearing date.

Environmental Engineer Administrator, Section 28

Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development

P.O. Box 94245

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804-9245