I'm all for economic development and more restaurants near the interstate, but I also like a clean city. Anyone notice the amount of trash along I-20? It's all you see from Ruston to Grambling.
I really, really wish Ruston could somehow figure out a way to put into the budget what West Monroe does with their Interstate area. If you will notice, their interstate median and side areas are always free of trash and tall grass. Why? They have paid personnel who take care of it and they use inmates. They also have their own enclosed cab tractor with a finish mower that they use to cut the grass. They don't wait on the state to send the grass mowing contractor through town. It really makes a difference, IMO.
A few years ago, Ruston was getting ready to host a high school baseball tourney at La Tech and the grass along I-20 looked like we were trying to grow corn it was so high. I thought, "Man that looks bad and that will be the first thing someone sees when they either pass through Ruston or come here for this tourney." I mentioned the idea above to a person on the Chamber of Commerce Board and his reply was "Why would we want to be like West Monroe?" I tried to explain my reasoning but it kept going back to "We don't want to be like West Monroe." I said, "Well, in this case we should be striving to be like West Monroe."
As a resident and a business owner, I would gladly pay an extra $5 per month on my utility bills if it meant Ruston could do something like this. I also think it would be great to have a sign like they have for ULM along I-20 as your coming into Monroe westbound. The sign looks to be very nice and is always well landscaped when I pass by. Just a couple of thoughts I had ...
I drove through downtown Friday and Saturday nights, and there wasn't a parking spot available, and there were lots of groups walking around. I really think downtown is doing great. There's more construction going on, and the new sidewalks look great.
Most of those people were at Sundown and Ponchatoulas for the John Simoneaux Memorial Jam. My wife and I went to eat at Ponchatoulas and had to park over by the Dixie Theatre. I expected the restaurant to not have any seating available but it was surprisingly not very busy. Sundown had people coming out everywhere though. Lots of people and I am sure both of those local businesses did very well on their food and alcohol sales. The catfish platter was very good and the little bit of music we heard was good as well. But, I do agree that the downtown restaurants seem to be doing pretty well.
WM does well with litter/mowing on the interstate, but not so much in other areas. Monroe looks like it has folks running it who take no pride in the way things look. Big shocker there. Ruston shouldn't fall into that catagory. With the trash/grass situation in Ruston it appears they depend on the State for upkeep. Those state contracts won't ever spruce things up. Cities have to do it on their own. Ruston lacks leadership in this area. It isn't complicated.
''Don't be a bad dagh..."
This is what Ruston has planned for the I-20 corridor:
Establish gateway planting zones along the I-20 corridor and establish planting zones at major highway entrances into the City. Gateway planting zones offer the opportunity for the City to make a lasting, positive first impression on those traveling through Ruston and a lasting impression on local residents. Partnerships with major commercial interests in the TID district are recommended to establish and maintain I-20 planting. Partnerships with local businesses are recommended to establish and maintain planting at designated core gateways.
Trees blocking everything won't help anything.
I know this will probably never happen,but I wish Ruston would get a really nice baseball complex for tournaments. We are in a prime location and we could easily host 20 events a year. That would be a great boost for our local economy. I don't think that most of the people in Ruston have any idea how many people it would bring into town. The impact would be huge.