Parish residents address Hwy. 167 issues at DOTD meeting

Evangeline Parish locals and state officials traveled to Lafayette on October 18th to discuss the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development’s highway priority program for the current fiscal year.
However, the local individuals who attended the meeting had one goal in mind - to advocate for repairs and updates to U.S. Hwy. 167 South from I-49 to Ville Platte.
Chris Soileau, who is the Fire Training and Safety Officer for the Ville Platte Police Department and Evangeline Parish Fire District #2, addressed officials with DOTD and state senators and representatives during the event.
Soileau said he spoke at the meeting on the safety issues caused by the current state of Hwy. 167 S. “Within the last few years, I have seen at least five fatalities on Hwy. 167 S.,” said Soileau. “As an emergency responder I feel like we are working more and more fatal and serious injury accidents on that stretch of road, today.”
Soileau continued, “It is 2018 and we still have grass and gravel shoulders. There is no room for motorist to park safely if they end up having car trouble.”
According to Soileau, he is often left wondering when it will be his turn to see the taxes he pays be put to use in the parish he’s called home his entire life.
“I was born and raised here and I want to see our parish get what it deserves. We pay taxes for roads, too,” said Soileau. “It is not a lot of highway, but it is long overdue for that section of Hwy. 167 to be upgraded to federal highway standards. It needs to be a multi-lane road. We’ve been waiting for this.”
Following the meeting Louisiana State Representative Bernard LeBas shared his thoughts on the need for an improved Hwy. 167 S.
“This is the road that connects north and south Louisiana. We are right in the middle of the state,” said Rep. LeBas. “We don’t have rivers or airports, which makes our infrastructure our main concern when it comes to connecting people inside and outside of our parish.”
According to Rep. LeBas, the plans for a four lane Hwy. 167 S. from Nuba to Ville Platte were drawn up by Senator Eric LaFleur and Rep. LeBas in 2011. Rep. LeBas also shared that in Sen. LaFleur and his plan, some curves would be straightened.
“The plans are there,” said Rep. LeBas. “It’s just time for the right people to take action, and time we get the federal funding.”
Rep. LeBas continued, “We have to tell our congressman to get up and get at it. We can’t wait until a bus load of children are injured on this road. We need to be preventive.”
Other local officials who attended the DOTD meeting consisted of Evangeline Chamber members, Evangeline Parish Police Juror Bryan Vidrine, EPPJ Secretary Treasurer Donald Bergeron, EPPJ Engineer Ronnie Landreneau, Wayne Vidrine, and Chris Soileau.
In regard to how these individuals represented and spoke on behalf of Evangeline Parish, Rep. LeBas said, “They did a wonderful job. They did so well people are still talking to me about it. Hopefully, more and more people will soon start speaking up about this. And, just like the old saying, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, if enough people say something maybe we will start getting the funding we need for our infrastructure.”