TRAFFIC NEEDS IN CORRIDOR:

Like many major highways in urban areas, traffic volumes on the Thruway have grown steadily over the last several decades. Volumes currently exceed the physical capacity of the highway during peak traffic periods (volumes currently exceeding capacity in the four-lane section between the Union Pacific Railroad spur and I-10 have been temporarily alleviated since the widening of the Thruway to six lanes has been completed). Present and future traffic volumes warrant capacity improvements in the Evangeline Thruway corridor.

The Connector freeway would be expected to provide an alternative route for local traffic, thus reducing congestion on nearby city streets (such as University Avenue).

Implementation of the I-49 Connector would alleviate existing and projected future traffic capacity deficiencies, reduce travel times, and offer the opportunity to eliminate or improve other aspects of the Thruway and surrounding street system. The provision of a dual roadway system, freeway plus flanking parallel roadways, continuous for the length of the corridor, offers improved operational flexibility and capacity for traffic and maintains or improves land access for residences and businesses.

East and west bypasses (loops) have been considered by the Lafayette Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and documented in the Path to Progress Report. However, the bypasses have been rejected in prior studies because only the central corridor route was found to meet a primary purpose and need of the project to relieve the existing and projected increased traffic congestion in the Evangeline Thruway corridor. Therefore, the bypass alignments were not considered in the range of alternatives for the I-49 Connector Final EIS. A bypass to complement the I-49 Connector located in the central corridor may be considered through the planning process of the Lafayette MPO in the future. A Lafayette loop, in fact, is currently under study as a separate toll road project.