Peanut Buckets Coming to DAWGTOWN

[splicer]

I did some digging, it is a well location.

http://ucmwww.dnr.state.la.us/ucmsea...%2f5159664.pdf

[PawDawg]

I did some digging, it is a well location.

Great job digging that that up.

[Dawgpix]

'nother hotel coming to West Monroe's Ike area. Home2Suites by Hilton. . . . .

Home2groundbreaking.jpg

[Blue Dawg]

'nother hotel coming to West Monroe's Ike area. Home2Suites by Hilton. . . . .

Is this what I think it is???

[rebelboi]

Is this what I think it is???

?

[Blue Dawg]

An extended stay hotel.

[olddog75]

Extended stay.

[PawDawg]

An extended stay hotel.

Not what you may be thinking, but yes, you can stay as long as you like.

[Blue Dawg]

Now we just need one actually in Ruston (yes I know there's already one in Monroe).

[rebelboi]

don't forget WM is also getting a new La Quinta Inn

[PawDawg]

An extended stay hotel.

Not what you may be thinking, but yes, you can stay as long as you like.

Now we just need one actually in Ruston (yes I know there's already one in Monroe).

This is the extended stay spot in Monroe. Not what they are building in WM.

https://local.yahoo.com/info-1827736...QDBHQxcG9zAzk-

[KSDAWG]

So right now I'm am at the La Quinta Inn just off campus in Starkville MS. Why the hell we don't have a full blown hotel on or directly connected to Tech is beyond me. This place is busy and the rooms all have a State motif.

[PawDawg]

So right now I'm am at the La Quinta Inn just off campus in Starkville MS. Why the hell we don't have a full blown hotel on or directly connected to Tech is beyond me. This place is busy and the rooms all have a State motif.

Need an investor who thinks its a good deal.

[KSDAWG]

There is a market for it for certain. Starkville reminds me of Ruston only they are far more supportive of their school.

[Dawgpix]

Traffic patterns will certainly change. The change will be an increase. The increase will be caused by the additional lanes.

More lanes always, invariably, inevitably create traffic congestion. It's called induced demand.

Adding lanes has never, ever reduced congestion anywhere, and it wont magically start working on West Monroe when its never worked anywhere.

Not if traffic patterns stay the same

More lanes wont alleviate the congestion. They'll worsen it.

MD, I am the owner of the DQ Grill and Chill in West Monroe, I was told by the state that the five lane was going to be done asap but they weren't sure when that was going to be. I paid for the State Troopers to direct traffic for the first seven days then I paid for the OPSO for the next seven days. I thought it would help with traffic issues, and it did. We are still busy but it would be nice to have it with five lanes.

I hope to have one in North Monroe and Ruston soon.

The parish building checklist for commercial structures does not mention the parish engineer needing to sign off, but if there is a concern I'm sure they would ask for his guidance.
http://www.oppj.org/document_center/...QUIREMENTS.pdf

From what I understand the state and parish engineers try to work together and the area we are now discussing has a lot of "issues" that were considered before permits were let.

Just drove down that way and they still have the State Police sitting in the road with lights flashing...what a cluster!

Don't parish engineers deal with building structure, not traffic impact?

In Ouachita Parish the checklist includes a driveway permit that must be included if the business has access from a state highway. The impact study to obtain that permit involves the parish engineer. We do have an occupational license, but it is not a deal breaker.

On the DOTD/Police Jury issue -

As one who would know, in an unincorporated area of the parish, especially on a state Hwy - the PJ has absolute NO say so what so ever. We cannot even deny a building permit to any legal business as long as everything is in order with the state Fire Marshall office and/or DOTD

There is basically a check list and everything is rubber stamped at the local level

And even if it is off a road in our system, if they meet the required offsets and install the proper drainage specs they will get permitted

And fwiw most parishes don't even have occupational licenses in the unincorporated areas and most did not having building codes until Jan 2007 - residential or commercial in unincorporated areas

Obviously, you know more about this than I but is this "future new" 5-lane scheduled to go from Well Road to Avant Rd. with a possibility(?) to continue down to where West Ridge Middle School is (Harrell Road) or am I missing something?

Curious minds want to know!

Wow! You came in to this discussion with the expert info on zoning. I simply informed you that the State and Police jury has input into construction of new businesses just as I had done in my fist posts to Champ967. The state and/or Police Jury did not have to sign off on the DQ project, but the income stream was important and, some believe, the congestion will speed up the 5 lane project to Avant.

Yes they do.

Before any business can begin construction, they must work with the state, parish, or both depending on the address of the new location.

The DQ had to have an impact study done and since it was on a state hwy, they had to have approval through the DOTD to access their location from a state hwy.. Yes, the parish was involved in that decision.

The new convenience center (owned by one of our friends from Church) across the street does not have state access other than the current Burger King entrance. Therefore, they had to get approval from the Parish and the parish engineer (Tech grad) did an impact study.

As I mentioned the eventual plans are to 5 lane Cypress to Avant. Some of the "big thinkers" involved believe the DQ cluster may speed up that project.

Yeah, that's it. Just go throw up a building anywhere you want. No need to check with the proper authorities before doing so. The Police Jury has no say so in any of these dealings.

Obviously, they don't.

Additional lanes don't reduce traffic. They attract it.

This particular cluster will likely put a rush on a 5 lane extension that would include the congested area.

Tech's engineers advise the OPPJ not to do such things, but they don't pay attention because they need the revenue. Ouachita Parish has not passed a road tax in forever.

Two drive thru restaurants in a given quarter mile stretch will usually max out the carrying capacity of most four lane roads. When you add the third drive-thru establishment, the rate of accidents increases dramatically.

Planners know this. But as long as local elected officials can override their planning depts, don't expect anything to change.

A little review before we come to this discussion last night by the Ouachita Parish Police Jury:

http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/new...turn/25386363/

Build now, react later . . . .


"Police Jury President Scotty Robinson hopes the jury can influence the state to provide a solution to traffic backup on U.S. Highway 80 as a result of the recently opened Dairy Queen."