St Tammany News

River Forest subdivision in Covington may not remain the settled, quiet place it is now. Instead, a planned north/south highway may intersect the subdivision, connecting U.S. Highway 190 and Louisiana Highway 1085, said Mark Sacco, Covington City Councilman for District C that includes the subdivision.

A work session has been scheduled for Tuesday at 5 p.m. at 212 W. 17th Ave. to discuss the proposed highway by St. Tammany Parish. The road would be not so much a money issue as a lifestyle issue for residents of the quiet, older, settled subdivision of River Forest, said Sacco.

He said that before any road is planned or built, work sessions and hearings that include citizens in proposed impacted areas in the planning process, such as this first one, will be held.

Sacco said the proposed roadway would continue the road behind Ochsner Health Center off La. 21 near Interstate 12 and would parallel both La. 21 and La. Highway 1077, running north/south in between the two.

Sacco has requested aerial photographs and a map with the plans and servitudes for the proposed road from Bill Oiler, St. Tammany Parish chief administrative officer.

He has also requested aerial photographs of Covington's entire District C that may be impacted by the road. Sacco said traffic counts, photos and plans the parish may have already done would alleviate those costs to the city if Covington can use them for their portion of the planning process.

A great concern for the city is cost. It is unclear whether the city, the parish or the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development would pay for the bridge that would be needed across the Tchefuncte River. Currently, no funds are allocated for an additional roadway, bridge or the required engineering in Covington's 2008 budget.

Councilman Lee Alexius said the purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the best route for the proposed highway, or if it should even come through Covington at all.