JOHN E. SETTLE JR

The Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development (DOTD) has a "right-sizing" highway program, which is technically known as the Road Transfer Program.

The DOTD website states that Louisiana owns over 27% of the public road mileage in the state. The national average of state road ownership is approximately 19%. Only 10 states have a larger state highway system.

The Road Transfer Program was established as the means to "right-size" the state highway system to achieve the national average of state ownership of public road mileage. This program involves the transfer of state roads to local government.

Under this voluntary program, roads are repaired prior to transfer to a local governmental entity, and the receiving government is credited for 40 years of routine and capital maintenance, which can be applied to any highway capital projects.

Ford Street in Shreveport is actually State Highway 173.

The street is in bad need of repair, and it is heavily traveled. Caddo Commissioner Steven Jackson has introduced a resolution requesting DOTD to include a portion of Ford Street from Pierre Avenue to Hartman Street.

The resolution is needed to start the process of negotiating with DOTD on the transfer of the street/highway. The particulars that must be resolved include the actual street mileage to be transferred, work to be accomplished by DOTD before the transfer and the dollar amount of capital maintenance credits the parish will receive as part of the transaction.

A DOTD representative addressed the commission and answered questions at the commission's Jan. 18 work session and Jan. 20 regular meeting. The commission was advised that DOTD prefers a much longer stretch of road -- i.e., mileage -- to be transferred than requested. The vote on this resolution was delayed until the commission's next regular meeting on Feb. 3.

Needless to say, there are many issues that are involved, or should be involved, from the commission's perspective before passing this resolution. Although it is argued by Jackson that this resolution only starts the process which will entail substantial negotiation with DOTD, many commissioners do not want to start down the road to an undesired destination.

The primary issue to be determined is fairly simple: Should Caddo Parish assume ownership of several blocks of a city street and be responsible for street maintenance, traffic signals, street lighting, etc.?

The parish has had at least two road swaps with DOTD. One was in front of the Caddo Juvenile Detention Center and the other on Southern Loop. But the parish has never been the recipient of just a single road transfer as Jackson is advocating.

Parish Administrator Dr. Woodrow Wilson addressed this issue in the followowng letter to the commission:

"Dear Commissioners,

"I would like to provide information to the Commission Board on the above subject matter which is coming before you for reconsideration during your Work Session agenda on 1/18/2022. The Administration is well aware of the State of Louisiana's Right Sizing program and its use at various locations throughout the State. At the request of Commissioner Jackson, we have carefully considered this matter, and it is our recommendation that the Caddo Parish Commission refrain from participation in this program as it relates to Ford Street/ State Highway 173.

Administration is basing the recommendation not to participate on a number of factors including that the proposed project has configurations such as fifty-five street light poles, three traffic signal devices, underground sewer and water systems, fire hydrants, and a deteriorated roadway and sidewalk. It is our understanding that the State DOTO would repair the road surface prior to transferring ownership to the Parish of Caddo and would provide the Parish with a credit towards a future project.

"The Parish of Caddo does not have personnel under our employment with knowledge of maintenance, repair or replacement in the areas of traffic signals, area street lighting, and etc. Additionally, the major utility system network which is located under the road surface would continue to be the property of the City of Shreveport. Maintenance of underground utilities would require they be dug-up to be repaired, which would necessitate the removal of the road surface to make any needed underground system repairs. It would be counterproductive for the Parish to be responsible for the road surface.

"In speaking with officials at the State DOTO Regional Office, they are desiring that the Parish of Caddo take on the entire road as opposed to taking only a portion of the road as suggested by Commissioner Jackson. This means we would have to be responsible for maintaining a major bridge system located on the road, which in our opinion, would be a significant maintenance cost to the Parish.

"The State of Louisiana DOTD has been waiting over four years on the City of Shreveport to make needed repairs on leaking water pipes beneath the road surface on Ford Street. If we accepted this particular road system, we would encounter the same problem in the future along with the liability that would accompany ownership of the road. Again, it is not in the best interest of the Parish of Caddo to accept this road into our maintenance system.

"The Administration does not completely rule out using the State Right Sizing program in the future when it is the best strategic advantage for the Parish. The acceptance of this particular road would only be in the best interest of the State of Louisiana and not the Parish of Caddo. Additionally, one key element in this non-acceptance recommendation, is the fact the City of Shreveport has not expressed a desire to participate in this program for a road that is located in the heart of the City of Shreveport. Since the inception of the Right Sizing Program, there have been three different administrations at the City of Shreveport offices, and not one of them has chosen to participate in this program.

"Notwithstanding our comments above, the Administration has expressed a willingness to assist the State, if we legally can, in getting the asphalt section of Ford Street overlaid. Additionally, the Administration, would like for the entire Commission Board to weigh in on the Right Sizing Program as it relates to developing some type of guidelines of when we might want to utilize this program in the future, as every commission district has a state road located within its boundaries.

"In closing, we are not opposed to the State of Louisiana's Right Sizing Program, however we should use this type of road repair method to our advantage. The maintenance and care of roads within the Parish of Caddo is an administrative function, and situations could arise in the future where the program would be beneficial to our overall goals.

"Dr. Woodrow Wilson Jr., Parish Administrator and CEO"