by Malcolm Butler
Thanks to the partnership between Louisiana Tech University and the City of Ruston, Tech Drive motorists — and pedestrian foot traffic — will get a bit of a reprieve from each other in the future.
The University and the City are once again teaming up, this time for a project that will include the construction of an elevated walkway on campus.
Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker said the University secured funds for the project and the city will do it’s part in building the walkway which will ease congestion on one of the busiest — and more dangerous — roads on campus when it comes to pedestrians and motorists.
The elevated walkway will be built across Tech Drive, just south of Scotty Robertson Memorial Gym.
According to Louisiana Tech Associate Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Adam McGuirt, the University was notified in mid-February of the approval of $1,033,500 million for the project. The funding comes through TAPs (Transportation Alternatives Program), a federally funded program administered through the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD).
“This is a 90-10 split,” said McGuirt. “Ninety percent federal and 10 percent local. Hunt, Guillot & Associates helped submit the application. They will help facilitate the grant.”
Walker said the city would cover the 10 percent plus ancillary costs such as design, engineering, and inspection.
Tech President Jim Henderson said the project is another illustration of the partnership between the city and the University.
“The City of Ruston and Louisiana Tech enjoy one of the strongest town-gown relationships in the nation,” said Louisiana Tech President Dr. Jim Henderson. “Mayor Walker and the city’s support to secure this funding to improve student safety is a tangible expression of the value of this relationship.”
Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker said the project has numerous benefits for both parties.
“We are interested in this happening for several reasons ” said Walker. “The No. 1 reason is the city will be taking that road over soon, and we want to make it as safe as possible. I don’t want the liability of (pedestrians) getting hit.”
Walker said the city will take control of the road from Highway 80 all the way north to the four-way stop on Kentucky. He said the time frame for taking over the road would probably be in 2027, although it could happen in late 2026.
“The state will bring it up to what they call an A+ road,” said Walker. “They then give it to us. The DOTD wants to give away as many roads as it can. They will give us what is the equivalent of 20 years of maintenance.
“They have a formula they use. They give you credits — or money — to use on projects. So instead of us having to ask for permission and go through all of the hurdles with the DOTD, we can go ahead and do projects and get them done.”
Walker and McGuirt both said the timeline for the construction of the elevated walkway is still unclear.
“There really isn’t one yet,” said McGuirt. “We have to accept the award and do a few other things by the end of April.”
McGuirt said that once the award is accepted, the next phase will begin which will include design.
Walker said the project could take anywhere from one year to three years, depending on numerous outside factors.
