“The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a big win for Louisiana as it will allow the state to both advance long overdue and much-needed major road and bridge projects as well as help expand high speed broadband access, affordability, and literacy. These bipartisan investments will be nothing short of transformational," said Gov. John Bel Edwards. "Over the next five years, this nearly $6-billion federal investment will have a significant impact on major projects such as highways, bridges, public transportation, electric vehicle infrastructure, ports, and airports, and it will create a more resilient transportation system that can better withstand disruptions from extreme weather. Louisiana’s aging infrastructure will receive improvements that create a better overall quality of life for all users, expand the economy, and provide a more reliable transportation system for citizens and businesses in Louisiana. In addition, expanded broadband, especially in rural areas of our state, will greatly benefit small businesses, farmers, students, teachers, health care professionals, and so many others. In short, the historic investment levels of the IIJA provide a unique opportunity to improve and transform our state now and for generations to come.”
“The IIJA is crucial for Louisiana, as it will allow the state to advance several much-needed major road and bridge projects in which funding has not yet been fully identified,” said DOTD Secretary Shawn D. Wilson, Ph.D., President of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. “Our state’s infrastructure system is relying solely on a fuel tax that’s over 30 years old; as a result, we have a backlog of $15 billion in road and bridge repairs that will never be eliminated with the current gas tax. In recent years we’ve relied heavily on federal dollars and innovative funding methods, such as public-private partnerships, to continue investing in our aging transportation system. Not only will this act benefit infrastructure projects, but it will also greatly help our multimodal system such as our waterways, ports, and rail programs. With this funding, DOTD will be able to close the gap in funding on major projects and implement more projects to help slow the backlog of growing needs.”
Statewide, funding from the IIJA will be allocated to:
- $4.8 billion to highways
- $1.01 billion to bridges
- $470 million to public transportation
- $73 million to Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
- $179 million to airports
- And $20 million to a more resilient transportation system that has the capability to recover from disruptions such as extreme weather
This is the largest federal investment in public transit and clean drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in history, as well as the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the interstate highway system was constructed and the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak. Funding is also provided for power infrastructure, additional protection from droughts and floods, reconnecting communities divided by transportation infrastructure, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, electric buses, environmental remediation, and high-speed internet.
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