Ruthie Losavio, Mandy Armentor and Jessica Stroope

Improving infrastructure for pedestrians, bicyclists and people with disabilities presents unique challenges for rural communities. Fortunately, growing interest in complete streets — roads designed to be safe and accessible for everyone — has been met with increasing support for small towns across Louisiana. Cities like Abbeville have been making strides by engaging the community, developing plans and securing funding to bring complete streets to life in their town. But how did the LSU AgCenter get involved?

When LSU AgCenter community and economic development specialist Jessica Stroope met Abbeville Mayor Roslyn White at the Center for Planning Excellence’s (CPEX) Walkability Action Institute, Stroope saw an opportunity for local AgCenter Nutrition and Community Health (NCH) agent Mandy Armentor to get involved. After brief email introductions, the mayor’s assistant set up a meeting where Armentor learned about the grants the city was trying to secure for complete streets in Abbeville.

Complete streets are roads designed to be accessible and safe for the whole community, including older adults, pedestrians, bicyclists and people with disabilities. Research shows they also benefit local businesses, improve local health and strengthen community ties.

When Armentor first joined the project, she was familiar with the concept of complete streets but was unsure of her role. Historically, AgCenter NCH agents, formerly known as Family and Consumer Sciences agents, focused primarily on nutrition education. With growing awareness of the need for healthy environments to complement nutrition education, AgCenter NCH agents have expanded their focus to include community health projects through the Healthy Communities initiative.

“At first, it was difficult to see how I fit into the picture,” Armentor said. “This is not traditional nutrition extension work, but it’s a different avenue to explore. I like challenges, and this was a challenge.”

Despite an uncertain start, Armentor quickly found her place within the project. She helped gather community input through walk audits, which assess how easy it is to walk in a community. She also assisted with public forums, contributed ideas, like improving access to the library, and lent an extra pair of hands whenever needed. She also served on the project’s advisory council and identified other community stakeholders who could strengthen the project by having a seat at the table.

“The AgCenter has resources to connect people and build relationships in the community,” Armentor explained. “Because I work with community members in spaces like schools, food pantries and the library, I was able to offer insight into how community members get around town. This local knowledge was integral to the process.”

The group knew that understanding community needs was essential. The group’s members wanted to learn how residents could best benefit from changes. Armentor worked with the city and the police department to gather data about driver, pedestrian and bicyclist behavior in the area.

Equipped with this information, the group worked with CPEX to apply for a Well-Ahead mini grant from the Louisiana Department of Health. The grant funded a demonstration project in the busy courthouse area where three pedestrian accidents have occurred over the past 10 years, according to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD). The temporary demonstration, which ran from December 2023 to January 2024, featured bike lanes, improved pedestrian crossings and reduced speeds.

Community input played a crucial role in refining these designs. Residents were invited to share their thoughts on the demonstration project through an online survey, an in-person open house and public meetings. The group used this input to fine-tune design features before incorporating them into a road overlay project that started in spring 2024.

The overlay project was funded by LaDOTD’s road transfer program. In addition to rebuilding the road according to standards desired by the community, the road transfer program also gave the local government control and provided 40 years of maintenance credit.

“What I really liked about working with the mayor is that her administration asked for feedback from the community about the demonstration,” Armentor added. “If something wasn’t working, they changed it. The community had a real voice in shaping the project.”

With the project near completion, the city hosted a celebratory ribbon cutting in October 2024. In addition to new safety measures like bollards and wheelchair ramps, the project also features beautification elements like a brick inlay of the town’s name and piano-painted crosswalks.

While Abbeville’s administration handled much of the heavy lifting, Armentor was there every step of the way to lighten the load. As Armentor reflected on the project’s impact, she says it’s rewarding to know that she played a part in the project.

“While the negative public comments could be discouraging at times, when people saw the final product, it made it all worth it,” she said.

The work doesn’t stop there for Abbeville. The city plans to transfer an additional 6.8 miles of road to local control so they can complete similar projects in other areas of town.

If you would like to learn more about how the LSU AgCenter Healthy Communities initiative can support Complete Streets in your town, contact your local NCH agent or visit www.LSUAgCenter.com/HealthyCommunities.

Ruthie Losavio is the communications coordinator for the AgCenter Healthy Communities program. Mandy Armentor is the NCH regional coordinator for the AgCenter Southwest Region, and Jessica Stroope is the AgCenter community and economic development specialist.

This article appeared in the winter 2025 edition of Louisiana Agriculture.

Mandy Armentor, LSU AgCenter NCH agent, helped install the demonstration alongside staff from the City of Abbeville and Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX). Photo by Ruthie Losavio

City of Abbeville public works employees paint lines for the temporary demonstration project. Photo by Ruthie Losavio

Mayor Roslyn White listens to feedback during an open house about the temporary Complete Streets demonstration. Input from the open house was used to fine tune the final designs. Photo by Ruthie Losavio