Sample Letter for Comments

Want to write in to NLCOG but aren’t sure what to say? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a sample letter that will work great to copy and paste…

Right now we have three ways to communicate this:

  • 1. COMMENT BY EMAIL:
  • 2. COMMENT BY WRITTEN LETTER:
    •  I-49 ICC Public Comment
      c/o NLCOG
      625 Texas St. Suite 200
      Shreveport, LA 71101
  • 3. COMMENT IN PERSON:
    • Tuesday, October 17, 2023
    • 3:30-6:30pm
    • Shreveport Convention Center
    • Captain Shreve Ballrooms C & D

 

– – – – S A M P L E   L E T T E R – – – – –

I-49 ICC Public Comment
c/o NLCOG
625 Texas St. Suite 200
Shreveport, LA 71101

Re: I-49 ICC route preference for using Hwy 3132 and I-220 loop… I am for Alternative 5 and NO Build Alternatives

NLCOG, LaDOTD, & FHWA:

I am writing to express my support for designating the existing Shreveport loop (Highway 3132 and I-220) as the I-49 route through Shreveport. 

Among the alternatives NLCOG offers for public choice, the only alternatives I can support are: 

    • Build Alternative 5 
    • NO BUILD

I support designating the loop as I-49 so federal funds can be used to upgrade and maintain the existing loop. If you do not prioritize the loop, it will not be adequately maintained and will place Shreveport’s water supply in jeopardy. There is not adequate funding for Shreveport to have both a loop and a cut-through freeway. The evidence of this Louisiana reality is the $15 billion state backlog of unfunded maintenance and another $15 billion of unfunded new capacity-adding mega projects like your cut-through alternatives. 

All other options you offer, 1-4, continue a 1950’s failed idea of cutting up cities with urban freeways. These options violate the 1965 Transportation Act and the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Twice FHWA has decided that the loop will be I-49 through Shreveport. Twice NLCOG has ignored the two previous FHWA cancellations of the I-49 ICC cut-through freeway (see 1997 FHWA letter provided by Allendale Strong) due to wasteful redundancy when we already have a loop and also citing historical, social, environmental, and economic harms. Why have you wasted taxpayer money continuing to promote this destruction of Shreveport?

I am disappointed in your lack of meaningful public engagement. Shreveport and Louisiana need a transportation planning system that brings citizens together to solve our complex challenges. Currently the way you plan and implement transportation disconnects citizens and weakens Louisiana cities socially, economically, and environmentally. 

I request that you update your 1950’s standards and practices so we can right-size our state roads system to something practical we can afford to maintain.

(Insert your own name, address, phone number here)