Council to talk about roads

• By RICHARD BURGESS
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: Dec 4, 2008 - Page: 1BA - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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LAFAYETTE — The City-Parish Council may soon ask voters to approve a $26 million bond measure to fund road and bridge work, mainly in the unincorporated areas of the parish.

The council is scheduled to discuss the issue Monday and to vote later this month on whether to put the bond measure before voters April 4.

“We could finally get some of our critical bridge work done and some of our critical road work done,” said Councilman Purvis Morrison, who represents the rural areas around Scott.

About 62 miles of parish roads are in critical need of major rehabilitation and another 38 miles require patching and resurfacing, according to a report from the City-Parish Department of Public Works outlining the need for more road money.

“If not soon confronted with a solution, roadway problems will become even more costly to correct,” the report states.

The report also identifies 17 bridges in need of replacement.

“Failure to act in a timely manner could require closure of some or all of the involved bridges,” the report states.

Money for rural roads is lacking because the unincorporated areas of the parish do not generate enough property tax revenue to support the growing infrastructure needs, especially on a pay-as-you-go basis.

The public works department recommends that the proposed $26 million bond money be used to pay for $16 million in road improvements and $10 million in new bridges.

The bond money would be repaid with existing property taxes over the next 25 years.

If the bond were not approved, the existing taxes could gradually decrease if city-parish government took on no additional bond debt.

City-Parish Chief Administrative Officer Dee Stanley said Lafayette is prepared to take on new bond debt because the local economy is growing and because the area saw a big boost in assessed property values with the four-year property assessment this  year.

Higher assessed values translate into higher property taxes collections.