Transportation Construction Coalition: Federal funding helps ease congestion and drive economic growth in Louisiana

Today, the Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC), the unified voice of America’s transportation construction industry, released a new case study highlighting how federal investment is reducing congestion and driving economic growth in Louisiana. The study illustrates why Congress must pass a new long-term surface transportation authorization bill to sustain investment in the state’s roads, bridges, and transit systems.

The case study is the first in a new series rolling out ahead of the September 30 reauthorization deadline that examines critical infrastructure projects and communities in America that rely on federal transportation funding to ease congestion, reduce freight bottlenecks, and stimulate economic activity. The first case study focuses on the Interstate 10 Calcasieu River Bridge across Lake Charles, which forms a critical connection between Houston and New Orleans along one of the nation's top freight corridors.

“The replacement of Louisiana's I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge demonstrates how federal infrastructure investment delivers real benefits for businesses and families across Louisiana and the region,” the coalition said. “As Congress considers the next surface transportation reauthorization, projects such as the Calcasieu River Bridge replacement show the lasting value of sustained federal transportation investment.

Today, the 135-foot-high bridge is considered structurally deficient due to its condition and outdated design, which no longer meets current interstate guidelines. Today, the bridge represents one of the nation's most significant freight bottlenecks. Merging traffic creates a major freight bottleneck, causing more than 560,000 hours of truck delays in 2019 and costing an estimated $31.5 million in lost time, fuel, and operating costs.

The new bridge will:

• Feature six lanes, 12-foot shoulders, improved ramps, enhanced lighting, and auxiliary lanes designed to improve safety and strengthen mobility.

• Help generate a total economic output of $3.29 billion within the Lake Charles Metropolitan Statistical Area and create more than 16,000 jobs throughout its lifecycle.

• Save drivers 115 million hours in travel time while preventing over 450 crashes

By improving reliability and reducing costly delays, this federal investment will help keep goods moving efficiently, support economic growth, and deliver lasting benefits for businesses, workers, and communities across the country. Congress must pass the next surface transportation reauthorization to continue investing in projects that keep America moving.