LAFAYETTE PARISH — Residents and community leaders are calling for improved safety measures to be implemented on the Evangeline Thruway amid recent crashes and traffic fatalities on the Thruway.
The latest cry for help comes from community leaders, and local organizations who say the lack of pedestrian infrastructure on the Thruway is contributing to the number of crashes.
Residents also say parts of the Thruway lack proper signage, and lighting.
“We need sidewalks, we need adequate lighting, and we need signage that say pedestrians share the road here but inaction is contributing to multiple fatalities on Evangeline Thruway,” said Nureaka Ross of Protect our Pedestrians.
Ross has been fighting for safer roads for years. In 2023 she petitioned the Lafayette City Government with the Protect our Pedestrians initiative in a bid to make the Thruway safer for residents. With two serious crashes just last week, Ross says enough is enough.
“The reality is that pedestrians are being hit on our roadway quite frequently,” said Ross.
The Lafayette Police Department reports 1102 crashes on Evangeline Thruway this past year and 333 crashes in the past four months. One of them ended in the death of a 63 year old man just last week.
Andre Angell, Vice President of Bike Lafayette has also joined in the fight for safety on Evangeline roadways.
“I want to see zero deaths...The main concern I have with this area is that there is a great need to cross the street and there is lack of adequate infrastructure to do so safely…” he said.
Kenneth Boudreaux, City Council Vice Chairman for District 5 has made several proposals for an elevated walkway and additional lighting on Evangeline Thruway, he says the issue needs immediate attention.
“If we were to compute the cost of roundabouts that have gone all over this parish with the exception of North Lafayette. When you look at all the capital dollars that have been spent on all types of things, why hasn’t the money been deployed there based on the numbers we’ve seen,” he said.
Boudreaux plans to bring the issue before Lafayette Consolidated Government at an upcoming meeting.
