Thruway compromise reached
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The Central Thruway won’t be named after the late wife of Mayor Pro Tem Joe Greco after all.
As part of an 11th-hour compromise, the Metro Council on Wednesday agreed to name one of the thruway’s two bridges after Greco’s wife, and to push the Louisiana Legislation for permission to name the second bridge after Joe Greco.
The Central City Council passed a resolution Tuesday opposing Greco’s proposal to name the proposed 3.1-mile Central Thruway the “Joan R. Greco Thruway” after Greco’s wife who died of ovarian cancer last year.
But the proposal drew objections from Central city officials, who said the proposed road should continue to be called the Central Thruway because it will become the main entrance to their community when it’s finished in 2 1/2 years.
As an alternative, Central Mayor Shelton “Mac” Watts suggested naming one of the Central Thruway’s two, 2,000-foot bridges after Joan Greco, and the other after Greco himself.
Because state law prohibits naming bridges after living people, Watts said he and Central’s City Council are willing to push for legislation to call one of the bridges the “Joe Greco Bridge.”
Greco said he considers himself to be the father of the Central Thruway because he’s been pushing the project for about 20 years. And Greco noted his wife, Joan, also worked hard behind the scenes to make the project a reality.
The most expensive city-parish road project in the history of East Baton Rouge, the Central Thruway is expected to cost $60 million, with the bridges over the Comite River and Beaver Bayou accounting for more than a third of the total cost.
When completed in late 2010 or early 2011, the four-lane, limited access expressway will run from Sullivan Road to Florida Boulevard.
Greco said the proposed thruway will be especially important during heavy rains, when Greenwell Springs Road floods and forces Central residents to drive some 25 miles out of their way to get to Baton Rouge.
As part of an 11th-hour compromise, the Metro Council on Wednesday agreed to name one of the thruway’s two bridges after Greco’s wife, and to push the Louisiana Legislation for permission to name the second bridge after Joe Greco.
The Central City Council passed a resolution Tuesday opposing Greco’s proposal to name the proposed 3.1-mile Central Thruway the “Joan R. Greco Thruway” after Greco’s wife who died of ovarian cancer last year.
But the proposal drew objections from Central city officials, who said the proposed road should continue to be called the Central Thruway because it will become the main entrance to their community when it’s finished in 2 1/2 years.
As an alternative, Central Mayor Shelton “Mac” Watts suggested naming one of the Central Thruway’s two, 2,000-foot bridges after Joan Greco, and the other after Greco himself.
Because state law prohibits naming bridges after living people, Watts said he and Central’s City Council are willing to push for legislation to call one of the bridges the “Joe Greco Bridge.”
Greco said he considers himself to be the father of the Central Thruway because he’s been pushing the project for about 20 years. And Greco noted his wife, Joan, also worked hard behind the scenes to make the project a reality.
The most expensive city-parish road project in the history of East Baton Rouge, the Central Thruway is expected to cost $60 million, with the bridges over the Comite River and Beaver Bayou accounting for more than a third of the total cost.
When completed in late 2010 or early 2011, the four-lane, limited access expressway will run from Sullivan Road to Florida Boulevard.
Greco said the proposed thruway will be especially important during heavy rains, when Greenwell Springs Road floods and forces Central residents to drive some 25 miles out of their way to get to Baton Rouge.
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