BATON ROUGE – Gov. Bobby Jindal announced the appointments of Sheriffs Wayne Jones of LaPlace and Greg Champagne of Luling to the Interstate 49 South Feasibility and Funding Task Force.

Jones is the sheriff of St. John Parish and will serve as an individual who resides in a community located along the span of U.S. 90 between the Westbank Expressway in New Orleans and I-10 in Lafayette, as required by executive order.

Champagne is the sheriff of St. Charles Parish and will serve as an individual who resides in a community located along the span of U.S. 90 between the Westbank Expressway in New Orleans and I-10 in Lafayette, as required by executive order.

The Interstate 49 South Feasibility and Funding Task Force serves to assess the benefits and support of upgrading U.S. 90 to an interstate. Additionally, the task force evaluates what impacts such an upgrade would have on Louisiana, its citizens and the environment.

According to executive order BJ 08-43, the task force is comprised of a maximum of twenty-three gubernatorial appointments including the following:

• The governor or their designee; 

• The secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development or their designee;

• The chair of the House Committee on Transportation, Highways, and Public Works or their designee;

• The chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways, and Public Works or their designee;

• The Federal Highway Administrator for the state of Louisiana or their designee;

• Representatives from communities along the span of U.S. 90 between the Westbank Expressway in New Orleans and I-10 in Lafayette;

• A representative(s) of businesses located in South Louisiana;

• A representative(s) of the Lafayette, Houma-Thibodaux, and New Orleans Metropolitan Planning Organizations;

• A citizen of Louisiana whose principal business is farming to represent the farming community; and

• Two at-large members.

Other appointments to the Interstate 49 South Feasibility and Funding Task Force include:

Robert Allain, of Jeanerette, is a sugarcane farmer and will serve as a representative of the farming community, who resides in Louisiana, whose principal business is farming, as required by executive order.

Bill Ankner, of Baton Rouge, is the secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development. Ankner will serve as an ex-officio member, as required by executive order.

Jared Bellard, of Scott, is the president of Bellard & Company, Inc., a professional land company, and a city council member for the 5th District. Bellard was appointed by the governor to serve as a representative of the Lafayette Metropolitan Planning Commission, as required by executive order. 

Charles “Wes” Bolinger, of Prairieville, is the Federal Highway Administrator for the state of Louisiana. Bolinger will serve as an ex-officio member, as required by executive order.

Camille Conaway, of Baton Rouge, is the governor’s policy advisor for transportation issues and will serve as the governor’s designee, as required by executive order.

Joey Durel, of Lafayette, is the Lafayette City-Parish president. Durel was appointed by the governor to serve as an individual who resides in a community located along the span of U.S. 90 between the Westbank Expressway in New Orleans and I-10 in Lafayette, as required by executive order.

Raymond Harris, of Franklin, is the mayor of Franklin and will serve as an individual who resides in a community located along the span of U.S. 90 between the Westbank Expressway in New Orleans and I-10 in Lafayette, as required by executive order.

Sen. Troy Hebert, of New Iberia, is a member of the Louisiana State Senate representing the 22nd District. Hebert will serve as the chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works’ designee, as required by executive order.

Rep. Nita Hutter, of  Chalmette, is the chair of the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works and will serve as an ex-officio member, as required by executive order.

Sen. Mike Michot, of Lafayette, is a member of the Louisiana State Senate representing the 23rd District. Michot was appointed by the governor to serve as an individual who resides in a community located along the span of U.S. 90 between the Westbank Expressway in New Orleans and I-10 in Lafayette, as required by executive order.

Charlotte Randolph, of Larose, is the Lafourche Parish President and the chairman of the South Central Planning Development Commission, which encompasses the Houma-Thibodaux Metropolitan Planning Organization. Randolph was appointed by the governor to serve as a representative of the Houma-Thibodaux Metropolitan Planning Commission, as required by executive order. 

Louis Ratcliff, of Berwick, is the mayor of Berwick and will serve as an individual who resides in a community located along the span of U.S. 90 between the Westbank Expressway in New Orleans and I-10 in Lafayette, as required by executive order.

Jan Swift, of Lafayette, is a real estate attorney with Swift & Rhodes, a law firm. Swift was appointed by the governor to serve as a representative of businesses in South Louisiana, as required by executive order.

Rep. Jim Tucker, of Terrytown, is the speaker of the House of Representatives and will serve as an individual who resides in a community located along the span of U.S. 90 between the Westbank Expressway in New Orleans and I-10 in Lafayette, as required by executive order.

Arthur Verret, of Jeanerette, is the mayor of Jeanerette and will serve as an individual who resides in a community located along the span of U.S. 90 between the Westbank Expressway in New Orleans and I-10 in Lafayette, as required by executive order.

Wilson Viator, Jr., of Youngsville, is the mayor of Youngsville and will serve as an individual who resides in a community located along the span of U.S. 90 between the Westbank Expressway in New Orleans and I-10 in Lafayette, as required by executive order.

Craig Webre, of Thibodaux, is the sheriff of Lafourche Parish and will serve as an individual who resides in a community located along the span of U.S. 90 between the Westbank Expressway in New Orleans and I-10 in Lafayette, as required by executive order.

Kenneth Wood, of Houma, is the owner of K&B Machine Works, Inc., a threading, machining, manufacturing, fabrication and engineering company. Wood was appointed by the governor to serve as a representative of businesses in South Louisiana, as required by executive order.

John Young, of Metairie, is an at-large member of the Jefferson Parish Council. Young was appointed by the governor to serve as a representative of the New Orleans Metropolitan Planning Commission, as required by executive order.