Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parish says developer will fund LA 675 intersection upgrades as 550,000 sq. ft. warehouse rises
Summary
Engineers told the Iberia Parish Council the intersection of LA 675 and Grand Prairie Road will be widened and regraded to accommodate heavy truck turns for a 550,000-square-foot warehouse supporting a solar manufacturing facility; the parish said the work will be funded by the developer and require a DOTD project permit.
Parish engineers and the parish president told the Iberia Parish Council on Jan. 8 that intersection improvements at LA 675 and Grand Prairie Road are needed to handle expected truck traffic from a new 550,000-square-foot warehouse at the site of a planned solar manufacturing facility. "The intersection improvements that we need to do in Grand Prairie on your road, is gonna be completely funded by the developers," engineer Dax Duet said during a brief presentation.
Parish President Richard said the facility — "twice the size of the Superdome" — will generate heavy truck traffic and that the administration is coordinating with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development for a project permit. "We're gonna look to get with, at some point to get with the LTD to put a traffic light there," Richard said, adding that the developer will acquire small parcels necessary for turn lanes.
Engineer Duet described the planned work as limited widening and pavement additions on two quadrants of the intersection and said the plans are being run through vehicle-turning analyses to ensure 18-wheelers can make the turns without driving off the traveled way. He said most work will occur within existing right-of-way "with the exception of the land where the warehouse facility is being built," which the developer will acquire.
Council members asked procedural questions about permits and costs; parish staff repeatedly emphasized that the parish will not pay construction costs. The parish also flagged the need to coordinate signalization with DOTD because LA 675 is a state route while Grand Prairie is a parish road. No formal vote was required on the informational presentation, but council later approved a related right-of-way resolution for energy lines tied to the same broader project.
Parish officials said next steps include finalizing the project permit with DOTD and confirming local contractor selection once the developer awards construction contracts. The parish asked council members and residents to review project visuals and noted it will return with formal permitting paperwork as required.
