RSS Feed

Target date for a bus transit program connecting Crowley and Lafayette — and points in between along U.S. Highway 90 — has been pushed back.
Originally planned to begin in March of this year, the program kick-off “will probably be in the summer of 2018,” according to Laurie Suire, president and CEO of OneAcadia.
Funded by a Rural Business Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Acadiana Planning Commission, the aim of the pilot program is to connect Acadiana.
“Right now it looks like Lafayette Transit System will likely be the operator and provider for the route,” Suire said. “Lafayette Consolidated Government’s budgeting process is in November and LCG administration has given preliminary support for the program, pending council approval.”
Suire said a marketing firm has been retained to work up a name and “brand” for the program and “we continue to work closely with them and with APC on the project.”
The preliminary plan calls for four trips from Crowley to Lafayette each morning, the earliest rolling around 5:30 a.m. The buses would also make two trips back from Lafayette to Crowley during the morning hours.
In the afternoon and evening, the reverse would hold true — four trips from Lafayette to Crowley, two from Crowley to Lafayette.
The final trip of the day would arrive back in Crowley around 7 o’clock in the evening.
All that with stops along the route, including in Rayne.
The buses themselves will probably have about 40 regular seats and be handicap accessible.
Rayne would have two stops along the route, according to Suire. South Rayne Park and the American Legion Home have been considered as stops.
However, Suire said since those two locations are in such close proximity, probably only one will be chosen and a second stop will be located in another area of Rayne, possibly farther east along U.S. 90.
There will be “a handful of stops” in Crowley, the two in Rayne, one in Duson, two in Scott and four in Lafayette, according to plans on the drawing board at this time, Suire said.
“The primary ridership will be workforce and students,” she said. “This program expands the workplace opportunity for people having a hard time finding jobs and for those who might lack reliable transportation.
“It also helps parents plan for their children’s post-high school education” since among the stops in Lafayette are SLCC and UL Lafayette.
The system also provides for “day trips” to Lafayette without the necessity of “fighting the traffic,” Suire said.
“I’ve had a number of elderly people call me at home asking about it already,” she said. “I think it could be a very cool experience for families and also for the tourism industry.
“People from larger cities are used to such transportation systems, they expect it and seek it.”
The ultimate goal of the pilot program is that it be replicated among other communities in the Acadiana region.
“Very few, if any programs such as this exist in the country, which is why APC was awarded the grant,” Suire said.
“The good news is that the administrations of all the involved communities are on board to provide this service to their citizens. But if we’re going to have this service, we’re all going to have to do our part and use it.”

Jerry and Christine Comeaux of Evangeline are pleased to announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Katy Alise Comeaux of Evangeline, to Kanon Kade Broussard of Lake Charles.
The bride-elect’s maternal grandparents are Roonie and Nell Fruge of Tee-Mamou and Judy Brunson of Evangeline. Her paternal grandparents are Jerry Comeaux Sr. and Darlene Comeaux of LeBleu Settlement.
Katy graduated from Iota High School in 2010 and Louisiana State University in 2013 before attending Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, where she earned a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree in 2016. She is presently employed as a travel physical therapist.
The prospective groom is the son of Tim and Lee Lee Broussard of Lake Charles. He is the grandson of Donald Broussard of Lake Charles and the late Laurene Broussard, and of Jerrie Jantz of Lake Charles and the late Robert Jantz.
Kanon is a 2006 graduate of St. Louis Catholic High School and a 2010 graduate of Louisiana State University. In 2016, he graduated with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, and he is currently employed as a travel physical therapist.
The couple will be wed at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017, at St. Margaret Catholic Church in Lake Charles.

CROWLEY - Acadia is listed among the top 20 parishes in the state with the most number of local road crashes.
To that end, the state Department of Transportation and Development has offered to alleviate some of what it considers the more dangerous hazards.
Ashley Morgan, Acadiana Metropolitan Planning Organization / Acadiana Planning Commission, told members of the Acadia Parish Police Jury Tuesday night (June 13) about he newly developed Local Road Safety Plan for Acadia Parish.
“DOTD will work with the parish and will fund up to 100 percent of the project, including engineering,” Morgan said.
The Local Road Safety Plan uses crash data analysis to identify predominant crash types, locations with high potential for safety improvements, and countermeasures to facilitate those improvements, Morgan explained.
Eligible safety projects include those for roadways and trransportation systems owned and operated by parish and municipal road agencies.
Projects involving stat roads are not eligible under this program.
Using the data and input from the police jury staff, a plan was developed to prioritize the improvements.
The 11 area highlighted in the Acadia Parish report include:
• East Branche Street (Rayne) from East Butler to Junot Road: average daily traffic count of 3,269; countermeasure - signage, striping and rumble strips.
• Ebenezer Road from the Crowley-Rayne Highway (U.S. 90) to the parish line: average daily traffic count of 841; countermeasure - striping.
• Hundley Road from Jamie Lynn to Atteberry roads: average daily traffic count of 254; countermeasure - signage, striping, rumble strips.
• Reynolds Street (Rayne) from B North Street to Jeff Davis Avenue: average daily traffic count of 664; countermeasure - striping.
• Leroy Breaux Road (Rayne) from Potters to Standard Mill roads: average daily traffic count of 845; coungtermeasure - signage, striping, rumble strips.
• Louisiana Avenue (Rayne) from Adams Avenue to Polk Street: average daily traffic count of 407; countermeasure - change angled parking to parallel parking.
• Lovell Street (Crowley) from Eastern Avenue to Ebenezer Road: average daily traffic count of 703; countermeasure - upgrade striping.
• Perchville Road from Robe to Blaine roads: average daily traffic count of 482; countermeasure - striping and signage in curves.
• Quarter Pole Road (Rayne) from Grand Prairie Highway (East Jeff Davis Avenue) to Riceland Road: average daily traffic count of 1,922; countermeasure - striping.
• Riverside Road from Ye Olde Country to Des Cannes roads: average daily traffic count of 136; countermeasure - striping and signage in curves.
• Standard Mill Road (Crowley) from Eastern Avenue to Dronet Road: average daily traffic count of 2,792; countermeasure - signage, striping, sweep road of gravel.
Approximately $5 million is allocated annually for local road safety improvements in Louisiana, according to Morgan.
“LRSP is one of DOTD’s LPA programs that provides an opportunity for local governments to utilize federal-aid funds for safety improvements on locally owned and maintained roads.
A parish or municipality is eligible to apply for safety-related improvement projects that are located only on locally owned roads.