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Regular Session, 2012 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 95
BY SENATOR MILLS
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development to
proceed with the Vida Shaw Bridge replacement project.
WHEREAS, the Vida Shaw Bridge is a one-lane bridge located south of the Village
of Loreauville on Vida Shaw Road; and
WHEREAS, the Vida Shaw Bridge has been in operation for approximately sixty-
nine years and has become costly to maintain and repair; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has
proposed to remove the Vida Shaw Bridge and replace it with a modern, two-lane bridge,
which has the capacity to handle heavy traffic, including sugar cane hauling equipment; and
WHEREAS, the necessary additional rights-of-way have been obtained and recorded
in the official records of Iberia Parish; and
WHEREAS, the estimated costs to Iberia Parish for the repair of the existing bridge
is more than two million dollars, with the life of the repaired bridge being estimated at forty
years; and
WHEREAS, there have been petitions submitted to Iberia Parish government from
residents who are against replacing the one-lane bridge due to the bridges' historical value;
and
WHEREAS, there have been petitions submitted to the Iberia Parish government
from residents who are in favor of replacing the one-lane bridge with a two-lane bridge, as
a means to improve and update the roadway for current traffic; and
WHEREAS, the SugArena is interested in the acquisition of the existing Vida Shaw
Bridge; and
WHEREAS, the SugArena is located at the Acadiana Fairgrounds and is overseen
by the Acadiana Fairgrounds Commission; and SR NO. 95 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, the Acadiana Fairgrounds Commission has made an official request to
the Iberia Parish Council that the parish relocate the existing Vida Shaw Bridge to the
SugArena upon the fairgrounds property provided all expenses of relocation are incurred by
Iberia Parish Government; and
WHEREAS, the Iberia Parish Council is concerned about additional costs to the
parish involved for the securing of the existing bridge, for conducting a review, for
additional cost difference between the accepted bid amount and available grant fund, and for
the potential to lose federal grant funds in the amount of four million two hundred thousand
dollars for the bridge replacement project.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby request the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development to
proceed with the Vida Shaw Bridge replacement project.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development, to the president of Iberia
Parish, and to the clerk of the Iberia Parish Council.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE