New Recreational Trail To Be Unveiled In Lafayette

A new recreational trail is the latest addition to Lafayette's hiking scene.

The Atakapa-Ishak Trail will officially open at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday.

The trail starts from Parc Sans Souci in downtown Lafayette and ends at the Vermilion River.

Officials say the first phase of the trail will use a combination of shared sidewalks and bike lanes which will accomodate both bicycles and pedestrians. The trail will link downtown Lafayette to the Vermilion River by using shared roadway, a half-mile bike lane along General Mouton Ave., and a shared sidewalk along University Ave.

The second phase of the project will extend the trail from Beaver Park to the Jean Lafitte Acadian Cultural Center by using a new pedestrian underpass that goes underneath Highway 90 at the Vermilion River.

Both phases of the trail are being funded by grants from the Federal Highway Administration Recreational Trails Program for Louisiana.