Nucor Steel Marion Corporation says they know exactly how to end deadly car crashes on Airline Highway (U.S. 61) in St. Charles Parish.
“We manufacture a steel u-channel post attached to 5,600 cable tension wires to form a longitudinal cable barrier,” Steve Conway, spokesman for the steel manufacturing and highway products company, said. “The system can prevent vehicles from crossing into canals during an accident, or into traffic. During an accident, the car would hit the barrier and get tangled up, or be smoothly redirected.”
If the project is approved by the Airline Highway Task Force and the Louisiana Department of Transportation, Gulf South Industries Incorporated plans to be the distributor.
“Cable barrier is the safest way to keep cars from going into that canal,” Irvin Dussom, regional sales manager for Gulf South Industries, said. “Nucor has years of experience with placing safety structures along highways and bridges to prevent accidents.”
Nucor Steel Marion Corporation is the industry leader in the supply of u-channel post to the highway market since June 2005. Dussom said a cable barrier can capture the car rather than causing it to bounce back into traffic.
“A 4,000 pound vehicle that crashes into the barrier at 62 miles per hour, at a 25 degree angle, will deflect less than eight feet according to our testing procedures,” Conway said.
The company showed the Airline Highway Task Force how the cables will save lives on Wednesday.
“The cable barrier system is the one least likely to cause backflow into oncoming traffic,” Conway said.
The same cable barrier is installed, says Nucor, along Interstate 12 in Slidell heading towards Baton Rouge. The purpose of that barrier is to prevent cars from crossing the median.
According to a committee report from the South Louisiana Chapter of the National Safety Commission, three deaths occurred in August of 2007, but the Highway task force refused to give the total number of deaths that have occurred on the particularly dangerous stretch between Ormond east to the parish line.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation disagrees with the installation of the cable barrier.
“Barrier installation will provide less space for emergency parking and will prohibit any recreational parking. The barriers will impede rescue efforts from the canals for vehicles that breach the guardrail system,” the company found in a 2004 study.
Allen and Sandra Washington, who lost four children on Airline, want something done to ensure the safety of residents.
“I was at the scene Saturday, Feb. 18, when Mr. Fryoux died,” Sandra said. “The State Trooper looked at me and said ‘Mrs. Washington I was there when your four children were removed from the canal. What can I do to help you today?’ and I answered what can any of us do, but hope it doesn’t happen to somebody else.”
The Washington’s four children died along the deadly stretch of waters when the car driven by her oldest daughter spun out of control and landed in the canal. But their family is only one of many who are suffering from a loss.
The family of James Fryoux, the latest fatality on Airline, wants some changes made to the highway too. “We are still shocked, hurt and overwhelmed,” Linda Fryoux, James’ mother said. “We just want something to be done soon to prevent another tragedy.”
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