The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is proposing to re-stripe a portion of LA 840-6 in Monroe, Ouachita Parish, and is asking for the public’s input on the project.
LA 840-6 (N. 18th Street) from US 80 (Louisville Ave.) to Forsythe Avenue (also LA 840-6) will be re-striped from a four-lane to a five-lane configuration with a two-way center left turn lane and reduced lane widths.
The purpose of the project is to improve traffic flow and safety through the corridor. There is a large number of driveways in this section, and left turners are often stopped in the travel lane.
DOTD has also received multiple requests for protected left turn arrows at the signalized intersections along the corridor, though those haven’t met the required warrants. Once the two-way left turn lane is added, the signals will be re-evaluated and protected left turn arrows may be warranted under the five-lane configuration at some locations.
Other options for re-configuration were evaluated, but the five-lane configuration optimizes both traffic capacity and safety along this corridor.
A traffic safety analysis was also conducted. The analysis showed that re-striping the roadway to add a center turn lane would potentially reduce crashes by nearly 30%. Traffic engineering decisions like these are considered a low-cost safety improvement and a prudent use of safety funding.
Visual representations of how the new re-striping will look on LA 840-6 are included below. Please click on the images below.
You can provide feedback by emailing the following DOTD personnel:
You may also provide a comment by calling (318) 342-0105 or (318) 342-0124. Please leave a voicemail with your comment and a call back number if there is no answer at either of these phone numbers. The voicemail message will be recorded as part of the public comments, and a return phone call will be made if necessary.
All comments should be received by Friday, December 18, 2020, and will be reviewed and taken into consideration by the project team.
At this time, the project is anticipated to go to bid in Fiscal Year 2021-2022.