LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – The Lafayette Consolidated Government plans to extend Frem Boustany Drive from Farrel Road south to the Vineyard subdivision. 

Some Acadiana residents feel the $2 million project is needed. 

“Well yes for traffic, you know what I’m saying? It should. It’s a good thing,” Delores Murdock of Abbeville. 

The road extension is only about a half-mile long. It will be a two-lane boulevard with bike lanes. Planners believe it will take traffic off Kaliste Saloom Road. 

“The important thing about Frem Boustany is serving some of those neighborhoods but it will also provide an alternative route for people to avoid Kaliste Saloom Road construction traffic,” said LCG Public Works Director Mark Dubroc. 

As we’ve reported, LCG is planning to widen Kaliste Saloom Road from two to five lanes – from Ambassador Caffery Parkway to E. Broussard Road. 

That will be a three-year construction project with a price tag of $16 million. 

The Frem Boustany construction is only expected to last about 10 months, weather dependent. 

“It’s open terrain. It’s not under traffic. It’s a much different animal than Kaliste Saloom and it’s not as extensive of a project,” Dubroc said. 

The Frem Boustany extension will be finished well before the Kaliste Saloom widening project. 

Teresa Andrepont lives in one of the adjoining neighborhoods. She thinks the Frem Boustany extension will help the area. 

“Well it will probably be less traffic coming from Kaliste Saloom, especially when they start working a lot down this way on Kaliste Saloom,” Andrepont said. “It will probably benefit to have this open here.” 

LCG expects to receive contractor bids for the Frem Boustany project in early March. 

Construction on Frem Boustany extension should begin sometime in April.  

The Kaliste Saloom widening project is expected to get underway in May.