$4.2M Traffic Safety Project in Baton Rouge Area Begins

State highway workers will start a $4.2 million safety project for the Baton Rouge, La., region by enhancing the visibility of two intersections in Ascension Parish with new signs and other improvements.

Officials tell The Advocate the intersections of Louisiana Highway 431 at Lake Martin Road and Louisiana 429 at Highway 22, which occur in curves and are in the eastern edge of the parish, will be the focus of the first batch of upgrades for the two-year project.

Lauren Lee, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation and Development, said the project will improve 300 areas along 100 highways in Ascension, Assumption, East and West Baton Rouge, East and West Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee and St. James parishes.

“This project is an example of making roadways more visible and therefore safer for the traveling public,” DOTD Secretary Sherri LeBas said in a news release.

DOTD officials said the agency’s safety section is trying to draw attention to areas where drivers need to be more vigilant, including curves.

Upgrades include new signs, replacement of worn-out signs, striping or addition of road reflectors.

Lee said DOTD workers will move to other parts of the state once the Baton Rouge-area project is finished.