The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD), in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is proposing to construct the I-49 Lafayette Connector from the Lafayette Regional Airport to the I-10/I-49/US 167 Interchange in Lafayette, Louisiana, a distance of approximately 5.5 miles. Enclosed is an exhibit showing the project corridor and some of the properties that are eligible for or listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was prepared in 2000 and a Final EIS in 2002. In 2003, FHWA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Selected Alternative, RR-4 Elevated with MPO Subalternative and Subalternative H, which follows the existing US 90/US 167 (Evangeline Thruway) corridor with a portion on new alignment.
In 2015, a Reevaluation of the ROD was initiated to document whether there have been changes in the project scope or project area since 2003. Due to recent input from the community, potential refinements and modifications to the approved alternative are being evaluated. A Supplemental EIS, instead of a Reevaluation, has been determined the appropriate documentation of these potential refinements/modifications.
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act calls for FHWA, in consultation with the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Officer, to identify potential consulting parties and invite them to participate in the Section 106 process. This consultation is being initiated to identify and assess effects to properties that are listed or may be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, such as the recently designated Freetown-Port Rico Historic District. This is in addition to the Section 106 process that was completed for this project for the 2003 ROD.
For additional information or to request to be a consulting party in the Section 106 process, contact Jan Grenfell of LADOTD by email at jan.grenfell@la.gov, by mail to LADOTD, Section 28, P.O. Box 94245, Baton Rouge, LA, 70804-9245, or by phone at 225-242-4509. Please provide in writing your reasons for requesting to be a consulting party. Responses would be appreciated by Wednesday, October 19, 2016. If you are aware of others who may be interested in being consulting parties, please provide contact information.
Sincerely,
Noel Ardoin
Environmental Engineer Administrator
Jan Grenfell
Environmental Impact Manager
