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Basin closures have adverse effects on St. Martin Parish roadways

Posted at 6:10 PM, Aug 28, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-28 19:10:46-04

ST. MARTIN PARISH — After a major accident on Interstate 10 this week forced yet another multi-day closure of the highly traveled roadway, St. Martin Parish President Chester Cedars says the parish is often left to feel the impacts.

"It's a real burden on St. Martin Parish, Butte La Rose, the Henderson Area, levee road LA 353. To receive all of this traffic, especially when LA HWY 353 is in need of repairs," Cedars said.

While the parish has invested over six million dollars on parish roads over the last several years, Cedars says the state highways have been neglected.

"The state highways in St. Martin parish are in dire need of maintenance work, they are in deplorable condition," Cedars said.

State Senator Fred Mills believes the problem is less about the condition of the state highways but more about a reduction of safety patrols on the Basin Bridge.

"It seems the enforcement activities have dwindled and I really feel that this last accident is going to have a discussion on deploying more resources," Mills said.

As far as fixing the state highways, Mills points out, "I really think that is a discussion point over the next for years with whoever is in the administration."