ASCENSION PARISH mdash; After two years of construction, a major road improvement project in Ascension Parish is complete, and state and local officials gathered Friday for a ribbon-cutting to mark its reopening.State transportation leaders said the now-finished upgrades along LA-70 are designed to keep up with rapid growth in Ascension and neighboring St. James Parish.ldquo;It represents the growth of this region, the continued economic development and investment that Gov. Landry and his team are bringing to the state,rdquo; DOTD Secretary Glenn Ledet said. ldquo;It provides supporting infrastructure and transportation infrastructure for this region to be able to utilize all the great investments that we make.rdquo;The project adds a new roundabout at LA-70 and LA-3125 and widens LA-70 from the LA-22 interchange to the base of the Sunshine Bridge, creating a four-lane highway through the corridor.Officials say the improvements will help ease congestion and make daily commutes safer.For many drivers, the reopening brings long-awaited relief. ldquo;Itrsquo;s good that the roadways are back open,rdquo; said Patrice Anderson, who drives the route regularly. ldquo;Irsquo;m excited that itrsquo;s wide open. It feels like an interstate.rdquo;Traffic in the corridor is expected to jump from about 30,000 to 50,000 vehicles a day over the next two decades, and DOTD officials said the expansion was needed to get ahead of congestion. ldquo;This area continues to grow. It was best to address the safety issues and the congestion issues in advance,rdquo; Rodney Mallett with DOTD said.Permalink| Comments ...read more read less