A transportation safety project aimed at improving access and safety along North Lyman Street is moving forward through the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development’s (LADOTD) Safe Routes to Public Places Program.

North Lyman Street serves as an important connection between residential neighborhoods, J.H. Williams Middle School, and South Louisiana Community College. Because of its role as a key route for students, residents, and motorists, the corridor was identified for safety improvements designed to enhance accessibility, connectivity, and overall roadway safety.

The City of Abbeville originally submitted its application for the project in November 2023. Following a competitive statewide review process, the project was selected to move forward and has now entered the engineering and design phase.

As part of the project, LADOTD will be responsible for overseeing the engineering and design process. During this phase, the department will evaluate and refine proposed improvements, including a shared-use path, enhanced pedestrian crossings, accessibility upgrades, drainage improvements, and other corridor safety enhancements.

While residents often see the construction phase as the beginning of a project, transportation improvements of this scale involve several years of planning and development before work begins in the field. Projects typically move through engineering, environmental review, utility coordination, right-of-way evaluation, and final design before advancing to construction.

The North Lyman project is intended to improve safety and accessibility along a corridor that provides access to schools, neighborhoods, and other community destinations. Proposed improvements currently being evaluated include:

• A 10-foot shared-use path along the east side of North Lyman Street
• Enhanced pedestrian crossings at side streets with stop-controlled intersections
• Accessibility improvements for pedestrians and cyclists
• Subsurface drainage improvements and related corridor enhancements
• Additional roadway safety improvements identified during the design process

The Safe Routes to Public Places Program focuses on reducing crashes and improving access to schools, colleges, parks, libraries, hospitals, government buildings, and other public destinations. These projects are designed to create safer routes for all roadway users while strengthening connections throughout the community.

As engineering progresses, project details, timelines, and final design elements will continue to be refined by LADOTD. The City of Abbeville will continue to provide updates and share information with residents as additional project milestones are reached.

Read more here Press Release