The Louisiana 4-Corners Coalition for Transportation Planning Reform is committed to making Louisiana a leader in transportation planning reforms that enhance community well-being, resilience, and prosperity. Founded in 2021, the Coalition seeks a shift away from highway expansion and towards investing in transportation solutions that reduce automobile dependence, utilize advanced modeling methods, and prioritize maintenance of existing infrastructure. Louisiana’s current focus on expanding highways is unsustainable, leading to increased debt, unfunded maintenance projects, and sprawl – all while exacerbating congestion, environmental issues and health problems, and diminishing community vitality. They advocate halting harmful projects like the I-49 expansion and repairing damage done by past infrastructure decisions, such as the I-10 segments in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Right-sizing the transportation infrastructure is essential, requiring stronger citizen involvement and prioritization of community values over highways.
The elevated Claiborne Expressway section of Interstate 10 bisects the historically rich Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, looming over what was once a wide, thriving tree-lined Claiborne Avenue. 4-Corners Coalition and Claiborne Avenue Alliance (CAA) are working to tear it down and return Claiborne to a street-level boulevard. “One of the biggest monuments to racism in America is the urban highway system.” – Amy Stelly of CAA
Meeting monthly, the all-volunteer coalition is composed of predominantly Black and women-led community based organizations across Louisiana, collaboratively supporting initiatives in each member city. These include Shreveport’s Allendale neighborhood and others adversely impacted by I-49 ICC urban freeway planning or construction; Lafayette neighborhoods impacted by the planning of I-49 ICC; New Orleans’ Claiborne Avenue neighborhood impacted by I-10 elevated freeway and the neighborhood impacted by the DOT planned Florida Avenue conversion to a freeway; city-wide impacts of increasing I-20 capacity through Monroe; and supporting Natchitoches’ efforts to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety. Their advocacy work takes them to state transportation meetings, such as the Joint Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committee, and letter writing campaigns to elected officials, the LA Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Department of Transportation – all in service of healthier, safer communities.
Shreveport residents oppose plans for the I-49 Inner-City Connector, a $600 million highway project that would extend for 3.5 miles through a residential area, including the historic neighborhood of Allendale, and require the demolition of homes and a church.