Moving Forward

An I-49 Midway Corridor Plan now being developed by St. Landry Economic Development and other agencies will help parishes and communities recognize their strengths and weaknesses as they prepare for the future. It will focus on I-49 in north Lafayette and St. Landry parishes and eventually provide a marketing tool that will benefit all the jurisdictions according to St. Landry economic development director Bill Rodier.

Developers of the I-49 Midway Corridor Strategic Growth Plan will look at the future of the I-49 corridor beginning at the intersection of I-10 and I-49 in Lafayette Parish and proceeding north to Exit 27 just north of Washington in St. Landry Parish.

Planners will take a comprehensive look at frontage road capacity, the future interstate capacity itself and the 12 interchanges in the corridor to “evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities,” according to Rodier.

The interchanges include the Pont de Mouton and Gloria Switch interchanges in Lafayette; Hector Connolly Road in Carencro; Highway 182, just north of Carencro; the Sunset-Grand Coteau interchange; Harry Guilbeau Road, Judson Walsh Road, Creswell Lane, and Highway 190 interchanges in Opelousas; the Nuba-Highway 167 interchange north of Opelousas; the Highway 103 interchange at Washington; and Highway 182-Lebeau interchange north of Washington.

Among the goals of the plan are to foster collaboration among the communities and parishes in the corridor, form an overall vision of what sustainable development can include, and bring increased awareness of the opportunities within the corridor, planners said.

“The project will include a planning process conducted by the Acadiana Planning Commission that will provide the foundation for a strategic plan for development,” Rodier said

“It will help tie communities in the corridor into a bigger picture so people are more aware of who they are and what they have to offer. It will also highlight the uniqueness that needs to be preserved as upper Acadiana looks towards the future,” he said.

He agreed wholeheartedly with statements by corridor planners that “the tide of development continues to turn in Acadiana, with development moving toward the north” and that “I-49 North forms the backbone for the Infrastructure of this growth.”

He noted that planners have already determined that “transportation access, land use, sewer, finance, water, transit, fiber optics, work force availability and training options, electrical power grid, and aesthetic and even cultural advantages are readily available” within the corridor. They also noted that quality of life is important to businesses and their employees and that “the I-49 Midway has it across all levels of interest and need.”

“Our transportation system, in particular the I-49 and U.S. 190 corridors put St. Landry in a very unique competitive position when businesses look for places to expand and when developers look for home sites with accessibility to shopping, medical, and other amenities, and jn the Midway Corridor we have the added advantage of some of the most culturally significant communities in the state,” Rodier said.

“This planning effort will help us to more fully grasp the opportunities available to us, and will provide a big benefit to all the communities and parishes along Midway.,” he said.

Three things to know about this story:

1. The Midway Corridor plan will focus on frontage road potential and communities along I-49 in north Lafayette and St. Landry parishes.
2. Planners will also take a comprehensive look at each of the 12 interchanges in the corridor.
3. It will include a planning process conducted by the Acadiana Planning Commission that will provide the foundation for a strategic plan for development.