Earlier this week, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced that the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) recently received $60.8 million in additional federal funds for highway projects. The department qualified for the additional federal funds after successfully allocating the full amount of its available federal funding to construction projects for the 2016-17 federal fiscal year.

“It is a great day when we can bring the tax dollars of hardworking Louisianans back to our own state,” Edwards said. “These funds will allow us to continue many of the road and infrastructure projects we need to complete. I am happy to announce the advancement of multiple projects across the state and I am dedicated to continuing to improve the roads and bridges we use every day.”

This additional funding will allow the DOTD to advance various construction projects over the next few months, including:

• The Pleasant Hill Road and Lawrence Creek Road bridge replacement in Washington Parish.
• Overlay on Louisiana Highway 25 near the junction of Louisiana Highway 16 in Washington Parish.
• Concrete overlay to Spring Creek Bridge on Louisiana Highway 1061 and Louisiana Highway 440 in Tangipahoa Parish.
• Pavement marker replacement on Interestate 12 in St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes.

Each year, the Federal Highway Administration allocates funds that were not used by other states or national programs. The Louisiana DOTD will use the newly awarded additional funds on projects where the funds can be obligated by Sept. 30, 2017.

“We can certainly put this nearly $61 million to good use,” said DOTD Secretary Shawn D. Wilson. “Without a long-term, sustainable revenue source, the state may not be able to apply for redistributed funds in coming years because in 2019 the current revenue will not be sufficient to match annual federal allocations. These funds are essential to maintaining the existing state highway system, which consists of more than 16,000 miles of roadway and nearly 13,000 bridges. I’m proud of the good work the DOTD employees have done to obligate all of our annual federal funds and to receive these end-of-year funds.”

For more information about these projects, visit online at www.dotd.la.gov. Once construction is underway, motorists can check online at www.511la.org for updated travel information.