The Falconer Road extension may not seem very busy — yet.

But soon it is expected to attract more than 5,000 cars daily and help alleviate U. S. Highway 190 traffic from Park Place to Harrison Avenue.

The new extension, which runs from Crestwood Drive to Harrison Avenue (formerly Dog Pound Road) is just over .6 miles in length and was constructed at a cost of $1,846,000. The land and rights-of-way had to be purchased at additional costs. In planning the road, engineers lefroom to add lanes on each side if needed in the future. The medians will be landscaped and turning lanes will provide access to cross streets. Parish President Kevin Davis said that the landscaping would be done after the summer.

Included on the road is a separate sidewalk/bike path that will allow residents to walk or bike to their destination.

At one end of the road is Park Place, with retailers such as Home Depot, Petsmart and La-Z-Boy. On Falconer Road, the Black and Gold Shop and smaller retailers can be found along with the back of Lowe’s and the entrance to Emerald Forest Apartments. This portion of the road has been in existence for a few years.

The new section connects this area with both Ninth and Harrison avenues, both marked by traffic signals on U.S. 190. Ninth Street becomes Three Rivers Road west of U.S. 190. Harrison Avenue west of U.S. 190 empties into a new shopping area.

The parallel road is one of several bypass roads planned for the western side of St. Tammany Parish, said Davis. Other roads include an extension of Harrison to the other side of Abita Springs at Louisiana Highway 36. Harrison now ends at Louisiana Highway 59. The other road will connect Ochsner Boulevard to Louisiana Highway 1085.

It is hoped these alternative routes will relieve traffic congestion on traditional routes while providing another means of access to businesses in the affected areas.