Once signed into law, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would provide the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) with nearly $6 billion.
Louisiana would receive the following: $1.01 billion for bridges; $4.8 billion for highways; $20 million for a more resilient transportation system that can recover from disruptions such as extreme weather; $73 million for electric vehicle infrastructure; $179 million for airports; and $470 million for public transportation.
“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,” Shawn D. Wilson, DOTD secretary and president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, said. “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.”