The Acadiana Access Road is the first major road development project in nearly two decades in Iberia Parish.
The project, consisting of several roundabouts, will make it easier for people to get to the Acadiana Regional Airport.
According to Iberia Parish President M. Larry Richard, the parish is currently working on the $11 million portion of the Acadiana Access Road.
It's expected to bring major commercial development to the area.
“This is a big step in the right direction to bringing major opportunities here,” Richard said.
The road, which consists of three million in federal PIRP funds and eight million in state funds, will provide easier access to the airport in the future.
The current phase consists of a five-way roundabout that will allow access to HWY 3112, Grand Prairie Rd., and the soon to be Acadiana Access Road.
It will be added to the current project that will bring HWY 90 traffic from the frontage road to Jefferson Island rd./LA HWY 675, which will connect to the Acadiana Access Road.
The second phase will go up for bid on construction in October and is expected to break ground by December.
“There's going to be a bid the department of transportation is going to receive to build another round about that’s going to catch traffic that’s coming from highway 90. You would come off Highway 90 to get on to the 670 roundabout. Catch the 3212 roundabout here. We’re trying to get traffic to the airport area,” Richard said.
Richard says the Industrial Development Foundation purchased 50 acres of property in the area that could be used for commercial development.
The area has also designed for eighteen wheeler access.
The project is expected to diversify commercial development in Iberia Parish.
“We’re looking at pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Mercks, those types of companies. We want to continue what we have in Iberia Parish, as you may know we’re really big in oil and gas and agriculture and we’re going to keep that we don’t want to get rid of that. But we just want to bring more opportunities for the people here in Iberia Parish,” Richard said.
The parish is also working to expand broadband in the area.
According to the Parish President, this first project is expected to be completed by August.
The entirety of the project may take about two years to complete, costing an estimated $30 million.
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