Hwy. 6 expansion takes step forward

The Federal Highway Administration, at a cost of $795,820, completed the “Environmental Impact Assessment” of four-lane construction of Hwy. 6 from I-49 to Robeline on July 9, 2010, and determined the project did not have any significant impact on the human environment.

The study estimated a cost of $27 million to four-lane 3.1 miles of Hwy. 6 from I-49 in Natchitoches to the intersection of Hwy. 117 in the Hagewood community and $24 million from Hagewood to Robeline, for a total cost of $51 million. As construction funding is currently not available, the El Camino Commission has requested and the Dept. of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has agreed to design and plan phase three, which is the section from I-49 to Hagewood.

A DOTD project management director has been assigned to advance the project to Stage three (design). Funding is in place to cover the design and planning, which was obtained in past years due to the efforts of then-Congressmen Jim McCrery and Bobby Jindal, along with Sen. David Vitter. State matching funds were obtained by Sen. Gerald Long and Representatives Rick Nowlin and Frankie Howard.

More than 20 years ago, the first meeting of the El Camino Hwy. 6 group was undertaken by Dr. Tommy Johnson, Northwestern State University professor, and Bobby Williams, a Many businessman. Their goal was to cause the four-lane construction of Hwy. 6 from the historic town of Natchitoches to Toledo Bend, the largest man-made lake in the south.

Later, the parishes of Winn, LaSalle, Catahoula and Condordia joined, and the Louisiana Legislature created the El Camino East/West Corridor Commission.

Ultimately, the states of Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia joined with Louisiana to create the Five-state El Camino East/West Corridor Commission, which set a goal of a four-lane highway from Brunswick, Ga., on the Atlantic Ocean, to El Paso, Texas, on the border with Mexico.

Working diligently as voluntary commissioners over the past years are Natchitoches Parish Commissioners Johnson, Dr. Leland Scoggins, former Natchitoches Mayor Joe Sampite and J.W. Scarborough. Sabine Parish commissioners include Jim Pratt, Bobby Williams, I.D. Bostian and Mayor of Many Ken Freeman. “Boots” Hayes of Many has also served a number of years as a Sabine Parish commissioner.