Councilwoman prods city to join public transit discussion

By Todd C. Elliott
todd.elliott@eunicetoday.com

Ward 2 Councilwoman Germaine Simpson took the City Council’s new business to the streets last week.
After making it known that crosswalks in her ward would need to be re-painted and that pedestrians need to be aware of safety issues on roadways, Simpson discussed the need for and possibility of public transportation in and for the city.
Simpson supports the concept of a bus system in Eunice for students and workers in the surrounding areas. She said that she recently  attended a Municipality Transportation meeting in Lafayette.
“I think that this is a very important move, I think the city should become part of the survey for transportation,” said Simpson. “There are a lot of vendors out there that are providing transportation but still not meeting the needs of people. Some of the transportation units that they have...transport individuals in the morning. And by mid-day those vans are parked.”
Simpson said that transportation is important for people to access education and jobs.
“I look at transportation as a viable part of helping people to be able to access education or even get a better job,” she said.
Simpson said that “possible” transportation scenarios include a transit unit from Eunice to Crowley, a transit from Crowley that would then take a rider to Lafayette or transit in the opposite direction from Eunice to Opelousas to Lafayette.
“People will be able to access school if they want, people can go here for school if they want to go to LSU Eunice,” said Simpson. “Or if students from here want to go to Opelousas to get their GED...they’ll be able to access the transportation.”
Simpson said that participation in the Municipality Transportation survey would cost the city about $2,600.
The idea is one that Mayor Claud “Rusty” Moody, Jr. said that he favors for the sake of education.
“There’s no GED program in Eunice and these kids that want to go would have to find their own transportation to Opelousas,” said Moody. “Plus, I think it would bring more young people into Eunice wanting to go to LSU Eunice.”
Simpson was invited to Lafayette for “A Regional Public Transit Study and Plan”– which was hosted by the Lafayette Metropolitan Planning Organization in September.
Michael Hollier, planing manager for the Lafayette Metropolitan Planning Organization, said in a letter to Simpson that the plan is a great way to provide the transit needs for the people of Eunice.
“If public transit is to survive with declining federal, state and local resources it is important identifiable needs be addressed comprehensively as a region,” said Hollier in his letter. “Though the Metropolitan Planning Organization will participate, a Regional Tranist Study and Plan will involve jurisdictions and entities well beyond the MPO geography limits.”
The data received from Hollier in a 2011 study of Opelousas-Sunset-Grand Couteau residents working in Lafayette indicated that the largest number of people that may use the transit would be in an age-range of 30 to 54 with more than 1,400 people who commute to Lafayette for their job.