By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – St. John the Baptist Parish Council members approved three resolutions at Tuesday’s council meeting pertaining to road improvements and a pair of upgrades near the parish airport.

The first resolution, proposed by Councilman Michael Wright, is a request to the state Department of Transportation and Development for proper right shoulder turning lanes at the intersection of U.S. 51 and Main Street leading toward Interstate 55 in LaPlace. Wright, whose district includes the intersection, said the request is an attempt to curtail accidents in that area.

Wright’s request comes after a school bus full of children was rear-ended at the intersection as it was making a turn from U.S. 51 onto Main Street. The accident, which happened on May 7, sent several students and the bus driver to the hospital with broken bones and other assorted minor injuries. The resolution was approved unanimously.

In the action pertaining to St. John Airport, the council approved a measure allowing the parish to execute an agreement with the DOTD for installation of an automated weather observation system at the airport. The system will give pilots in the area information to help them make safe landings in bad weather. The cost of the project will be split between the DOTD and the Port of South Louisiana, which manages the airport, but the council had to approve the plan because the parish owns the airport. The system costs about $200,000, which will be paid by the DOTD, and monthly maintenance fees, which will be paid by the port, range between $600 and $800 per month.

The parish or the port will pay to operate the system, but port officials have said an expected increase in fuel sales that will come from an upcoming project to extend the airport’s runway to 5,000 feet will bring additional traffic and fuel sales, increasing the airport’s self-generated revenue. The improvements are part of the port’s plan to revitalize the airport.

The council also approved a resolution allowing the parish to seek a $150,000 grant from the Delta Regional Authority to construct a sewer lift station near the airport to accommodate an increased number of businesses situated along Airport Road in Reserve.