After the city-parish enjoyed better-than-expected sales tax collections, the mayor-president wants the Metro Council to approve a larger number of projects under the region's road-rehabilitation program.

At a news conference today, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome unveiled a plan that would see 50 miles of streets and roads repaved at a cost of around $25.6 million. The city-parish typically spends about half that on street rehab each year, her office said. Another $1.5 million would be spent to restripe certain roads.

Broome spokesman Mark A. Armstrong said ahead of the news conference that the work would be funded through a half-cent sales tax that has been on the books in one form or another since 1990. Voters have revised the distribution of funds from the proceeds at various times over the years. 

The Metro Council is expected to consider the proposal next week.

The paving work includes some of the city's most-used thoroughfares where the pavement and foundation are beyond their predicted life span. Various criteria were used to select routes, which include:

--Anselmo Lane

--Arnold Lane (between Airline Highway and Jefferson Highway)

--Barringer Foreman Road (between Airline Highway and Jefferson Highway)

--Big Bend Avenue

--College Drive (between Interstate 10 and Perkins Road)

--Evangeline Street (from Interstate 110 to Airline Highway)

--Forest Heights Park neighborhood (off Mickens Road)

--Fountainbleau Drive

--Greenwood neighborhood streets (off Foster Road north of Hooper Road)

--Hermitage neighborhood (off Gardere Lane)

--Highland Road (from South Boulevard to State Street (just north of the LSU campus))

--Hollywood Street (from Scenic Highway to McClelland Drive)

--Hundred Oaks neighborhood (selected streets)

--Jefferson Terrace neighborhood

--Joor Road (north of Hooper Road)

--Lexington Estates neighborhood (off Nicholson Drive)

--Nicholson Extension (between Nicholson Drive and Highland Road)

--North Foster Drive (from Airline Highway to Florida Boulevard)

--Perkins Road (north of the Kansas City Southern overpass)

--Rollins Road (off of Old Scenic Highway)

--72nd Street neighborhood (between Scenic Highway and Interstate 110)

--Spanish Town Road (east of Interstate 110)

--Thomas Road (between Scenic Highway and La. 19)

--Woodland Ridge Boulevard.