BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Fresh soil flew off the shovels of several St. Landry Parish economic and elected officials Monday afternoon as the overturned ground marked the beginning of a Love’s Truck Stop project scheduled for completion sometime during mid-summer 2023.
The symbolic start of the project located off the eastern Interstate 49 service road should start next week, according to Love’s project manager Brad Peck, who also tossed a shovel full of dirt as a large number of individuals watched the ceremony.
Bill Rodier, executive director of the parish economic and development district, called the truck stop a “catalyst” for continued economic growth of the I-49 corridor which now stretches between Opelousas and the northern boundary of Lafayette Parish.
Peck said the truck stop covering approximately 12 acres just south of Our Savior’s Church can accommodate as many as 60 trucks which can be parked overnight.
“The Love’s store itself will cover 11,000 square feet. There are also eight diesel bays that can be used for 20 to 40 trucks. Then there is also a RV park of 400 to 600 feet,” said Peck.
Peck added that the truck stop will include two restaurants. “One of the restaurants will be a Hardee’s that’s open 24 hours. The Godfather’s Pizza will also be part of the truck stop, but that restaurant won’t be open 24 hours,” Peck said.
Although there are already two truck stops located in the Grand Coteau area six miles south of the Opelousas-Love’s Truck Stop, Peck said company officials feels there is enough large truck traffic to make the I-49 project economically successful.
Love’s also has an operating truck stop located at the corner of Saizan Street and U.S. 190 in Port Barre in addition to another located off I-49 in Boyce. Another Love’s project is scheduled for completion in Mansfield, Peck said.
Following the ground breaking, Peck and several architects and engineers conducted a pre-construction meeting outdoors.
