By ERIN HOPKINS

Staff Writer

Traffic flow, economic development and safety are the focus of a road improvement plan along Interstate 20.

The plan will improve service roads and construct new roads to help with traffic. Ruston officials have started purchasing land that will be used to widen the service roads and provide land for retail development.

"[The city] not only needed to provide better traffic circulation that is a safety issue," Ruston Mayor Dan Hollingsworth said, "but we also needed to provide an opportunity for economic development by the interstate."

Hollingsworth said there are several phases of the plan, which will include improving the existing service roads but also adding a road from U.S. 167 to Highway 33.

"[The city] won't have to continue tearing down old historic homes on Trenton and Vienna Street to make room for the new businesses," Hollingsworth said.

Hollingsworth said as well as improving the roads, another overpass bridge will be added halfway between U.S. 167 and La. 33. The overpass bridge will help traffic circulation on the north service road.

"[The city] has been very pleased with the plan and how we think it's going to impact the community," Hollingsworth said. "It's certainly going to provide more commercial traffic and visible locations for the businesses."

Hollingsworth said businesses in the proper locations would attract the people who drive down I-20. This will also help the community economically.

"Transportation, access and ease of getting around will tell people that [the community] wants them here and they are welcome," Hollingsworth said.

Hollingsworth said the improvement plan was proposed six years ago but because of changes in the plans and in the funding, progress has been stalled for the last two years. The completion of the construction is projected for 2006.

He said the improvement plan is not only good for the city but the university as well. The development will bring in more restaurants, retail stores and other entertainment, which will make the city more attractive to college students.

"[The city] will be able to make this an agreeable place to live as well as a place to get an education," Hollingsworth said. "We will not be just a 'suitcase' university."

Dr. Jim King, vice president ofstudent affairs, said the university administration would like to see it become part of the city.

"[Ruston] is not just a town with a college, but a college town," King said. "It's good for business, for students and the community. This administration is about trying to tie the two together working together."

Rachel Johnson, a senior history major, said she agrees with King about the benefits of the improvements on the university.

"I think the development will keep the students in Ruston instead of going to either Monroe or Shreveport," Johnson said. "It will make them want to stay in town."

King said this is just the beginning of bringing the community and the university together and their growth.