News broke Monday that monies will be appropriated to fund major improvements for the southern part of U.S. Hwy 167 in Evangeline Parish through Ville Platte. However, the announcement was not well received in all areas of the parish as it left residents of Turkey Creek wondering why they were left out of receiving funds to improve their section of the highway.
As a result, the Turkey Creek Village Council passed a resolution Tuesday documenting the condition of the highway north of the village to I-49 just past Clearwater and expressing “a sense of urgency that immediate action be taken to remedy this deplorable situation.”
“DOTD awarded money for Hwy 167 toward Ville Platte to do the shoulders,” Mayor Phillip Cavins said, “but I feel our evacuation route is a little more urgent than adding shoulders to a road.”
The resolution passed by the council states the highway “is recognized by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development as a main Emergency Hurricane Evacuation Route for citizens of the towns and cities of south Louisiana known as Acadiana as well as citizens of the Village of Turkey Creek.”
“U.S. Highway 167 North is the only state route that provides access to the north and to Interstate 49 from the Village of Turkey Creek for evacuation, tourism, employment, and commerce,” continued the resolution.
The resolution further described the “deplorable physical condition” of the 9.6 mile stretch of highway from La. Hwy 13 to the Rapides Parish line which includes “large potholes and bumps that often deflect vehicles out of there travel path, and rutting that holds water producing areas of high risk of hydroplaning.”
These conditions, according to the resolution, “present a severe safety hazard for human life.”
Also described in the resolution are damages to vehicles which are associated with the highway’s conditions such as “damaged tires, shocks, suspension systems in addition to windshields cracked by displaced roadway materials.”
For the past six years, according to the resolution, the village has “monitored and documented the condition of this section” and “continues to be concerned about the safety of its and all citizens traveling this section.”
The resolution concludes as follows:
“The governing body of the Village of Turkey Creek hereby urges and formally requests that LaDOTD and the U.S. Federal Highway Commission provide emergency funds dedicated for the rehabilitation of the aforementioned 9.6 mile section ... in order to return it to a condition that meets the Minimum Highway Safety Standards to ensure the long term presence of a safe Hurricane Evacuation Route that will provide south Louisiana residents a safe evacuation route to north Louisiana, in response to disasters and daily travels, for decades to come.”
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TONY MARKS Associate Editor