The Federal Railroad Administration recently awarded the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) a $5.81 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program grant for the Baton Rouge–New Orleans Rail Bridge Replacement project.
The $8.3 million project is a public-private partnership (P3) between DOTD and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (CPKC). It will replace five bridges in St. James and St. Charles parishes, crossing Blind River Slough, Tchackehou Bayou, Bayou La Trainase, the St. James Parish Canal and an unnamed canal, with large steel drainage pipes beneath the tracks.
Federal funding will support project development, final design, and construction. The bridges are along the CPKC rail line between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The company is providing $2.49 million to the project.
“This award is a major step toward strengthening one of Louisiana’s most important freight corridors and laying the groundwork for future passenger rail service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans,” DOTD Secretary Glenn Ledet said. “Replacing these aging structures will help goods move safely and reliably while supporting long-term economic growth across southeast Louisiana.”
The bridges currently require more than $200,000 in annual maintenance.
Project development is expected to begin in the first half of 2027, pending execution of the grant agreement.