RICHWOOD, La. (KNOE) – The Ouachita Parish Police Jury, local and state officials celebrated the completion of the U.S. 165 Highway Roadway Lighting project Thursday (Aug. 29) morning in the Town of Richwood.
Even though south Ouachita Parish residents are seeing brighter nights along the highway, the celebration focused on honoring pedestrians, whose lives were taken due to car accidents and the ones who survived.
Attendees celebrated a collaboration of more than five years of work at the Town of Richwood Multipurpose Center. Richwood mayor Gerald Brown asked the audience to join him for a moment of silence to honor those who’ve passed.
The Ouachita Parish Police Jury reported that there were six pedestrian fatalities and five pedestrian injuries as a result of car accidents over a five-year period. According to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, there were 97 total crashes in 2021-2023. 46 crashes happened at night; three of which were pedestrian crashes.
The new highway lighting runs 3.69 miles.
“I have a program – ‘I love to read,’ and I was trying to get my children to come to the public library – Ollie Burns Library,” said State Representative Pat Moore of District 17. “So that they can have a chance to read, and it was a good idea until they started coming. And we were seeing them bringing their little siblings by themselves coming, crossing over and when they see a car; they go back and they were confused on do they go forward or do they come back.”
The ribbon cutting for the lights took place between Richwood Middle and Richwood High Schools.
One pedestrian, who experienced an injury from walking on the highway several years ago, said she’s thankful for being alive to see the celebration of the street lights.
“Now we can see, because we have some lights. We’re not in the dark anymore. So, that’s a blessing. It was so dark on 165… and to see the lights now… that’s a blessing,” said Ouachita Parish resident Annie Mae Hudson.
The project came to a close on Aug. 21, 2024.
RELATED CONTENT: Brightness along US Hwy. 165 in south Ouachita Parish, lights officially on
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Publish date : 2024-08-29 12:07:00
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