A breakfast discussion Thursday will highlight the importance of constructing the Interstate 49 South corridor throughout Lafayette and much of south Louisiana 
.
The project has been talked about and planned for years, but has been stalled mostly because of a lack of funding.
Allison Clarke, chairwoman of the Acadiana Regional Alliance, said the nine-parish coalition was prompted to host the talk after Gov. Bobby Jindal signed legislation in July that secures millions of dollars to complete I-49 North in and around the Shreveport area.
"It really motivated our group to push this issue to the forefront and make sure we didn't get swept under the rug," Clarke said. "You do start to worry a little bit that with the recession and the poor economy, after waiting all these years, that you're not going to get your opportunity. We figured we would try to raise awareness at a grassroots level to make sure it didn't get forgotten."
The bill signed by Jindal also includes language regarding
I-49 South, a move Clarke said will help keep the project on people's minds and more likely to be included in next year's legislative bills.
Estimates say the completion of all of I-49 South could reach up to $2 billion, and the connector portion through Lafayette could cost as much at $700 million. However, officials believe the new highway would create thousands of jobs along the improved corridor and create a better transportation network for businesses, as well as a better evacuation route for hurricanes.
Currently, crews are widening portions of U.S. Route 90 in the south Lafayette and Broussard areas, a $20 million project that will create three lanes in each direction between Pinhook Road and La. 182. During a visit to Lafayette last summer, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Sherri LeBas said the project is designed to help improve traffic flow until the interstate is completed.
"It's a high priority. It's just a very expensive project," LeBas said at the time. "We are making progress, but you take the funding you have and do pieces and parts as you can."
Clarke said Acadiana Regional Alliance members hope Thursday's discussion will help clarify the current status of the plans.
"We wanted to use this meeting to see what the vision is, what are the next steps, how the DOTD is working with the governor and the federal government to accomplish this," Clarke said.
"The biggest chunk of it is in Lafayette, but it's very important to the vitality and economic growth and prosperity for the whole region."
Scheduled speakers include U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce President Rob Guidry, DOTD Deputy Secretary Eric Kalivoda; Kam Movassaghi of the Lafayette Metropolitan Expressway Commission and St. Mary Parish President Paul Naquin.
