BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) and Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will conduct a public hearing on Jan. 21, 2010, at 6 p.m. to discuss improvements to U.S. 84 at the Sabine River between Shelby County, Texas, and DeSoto Parish, Louisiana.
The hearing will be held at the Logansport Elementary School, located at 17228 Highway 5 in Logansport, Louisiana.
The proposed project would replace the Sabine River Bridge and widen U.S. 84 from two to four lanes from the end of the existing four-lane section in Texas to 15 feet west of the existing Union Pacific railroad crossing of U.S. 84 in Louisiana. Wetlands within the Sabine River floodplain would be impacted.
Approximately 1.2 acres of additional right-of-way (ROW) would be required in Texas and approximately 7.8 acres would be required within the Louisiana segment of the project. Information about Texas’s Relocation Assistance Program, the benefits and services for displaces and information about the tentative schedule for ROW acquisition can be obtained from the TxDOT Lufkin District by calling 936-633-4395. Information about Louisiana’s Relocation Assistance Program can be obtained by contacting Debra Boutwell, DOTD’s Monroe district real estate officer at 318-342-0250.
Maps and other drawings showing the proposed location and design will be displayed at the hearing. The Environmental Assessment, tentative construction schedule, and other information about the proposed project is on file and available for inspection and copying. This material is
available at TxDOT's Lufkin District Office, located at 1805 North Timberland Drive in Lufkin. The Environmental Assessment will also be available for check-out purposes at the Logansport Branch Library and for purchase at the DOTD Bossier City District office, located at 3339 Industrial Drive in Bossier City.
All interested citizens are invited to attend this meeting to express their views. Persons interested in attending the hearing who have special communication or accommodation needs are encouraged to contact Kathi White, TxDOT’s district public information officer at 936-633-4395 at least two days prior to the hearing. Because the public hearing will be conducted in English, any requests for language interpreters or other special communication needs should also be made at least two days prior to the public hearing. TxDOT will make every reasonable effort to accommodate these needs.
Verbal and written comments from the public regarding this project are requested. Comments may be presented either at the hearing or in writing after the hearing. Written statements may be mailed to Sam Skrehot at: TxDOT Lufkin District Office, 1805 North Timberland Drive, Lufkin, TX 75901. Comments must be received no later than 10 days following the hearing in order to be included in the public hearing record. The deadline for receipt of comments is 5 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2010.