The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) recently awarded $101.5 million in road contacts to 15 contractors for 16 projects statewide.
The projects are: the construction of LA 3241 between LA 36 and LA 435; the replacement of a U.S. 90 bayou bridge; replacement of a North 16th bridge; repair of Grand Lake Swing Bridge; Westbank Expressway rehabilitation on U.S. 90Z; left turn lane construction on LA 30 at LA 3115; sidewalks along Bootlegger Road in St. Tammany Parish; and multiple grading, drainage, milling, patching, overlay, and paving projects.
Projects were prioritized by several factors including urgency of improvements, type/volume of traffic, road/bridge condition, crash records, and unforeseeable emergencies that caused damage.
LA 3241 originally was part of the 1989 Louisiana Transportation Infrastructure Model for Economic Development Program, which consisted of 16 projects statewide. The federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act partially funds the $62.6 million project.
DOTD awarded the contract for the first segment in July. It will connect LA 40/LA 41 in Bush to LA 435. Construction is scheduled to begin soon on the second segment of LA 3241 in St. Tammany Parish. The third segment is fully funded and will complete the new highway. The contract will be awarded in 2023.