News

BROUSSARD, La. – Gov. John Bel Edwards joined Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) Secretary Shawn D. Wilson, Ph.D., as well as local and state officials, to celebrate the completion of the Albertson Parkway widening project in Lafayette Parish on Monday.

“The economic value of this project is profound and will have a lasting effect on the way Louisiana does business by providing better mobility throughout the Acadiana area and fast tracking travel from Lafayette to New Orleans,” said Gov. Edwards. “By providing easier access to these areas, we are creating an opportunity for local businesses to grow and encouraging further investment into the Louisiana economy.”

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BATON ROUGE – Completing I-49 South is Acadiana’s top infrastructure priority, and the I-49 South Coalition continues to advocate for this game-changing investment for Louisiana. Governor John Bel Edwards echoed his support for this priority by proclaiming May 14, 2019 as I-49 South Day in the State of Louisiana.

As part of National Infrastructure Week, the I-49 South Coalition organized I-49 South Day to recognize and encourage leadership at all levels of government to address Louisiana’s pressing infrastructure investment needs, including the completion of I-49 South.

“Infrastructure Week is the perfect time to be at the Capitol discussing the importance of I-49 South with elected leaders and public officials,” said I-49 South Coalition Chairman David Mann. “This year’s message is ‘Build for Tomorrow,’ which could not be better said. It is time to complete this decades-long initiative so that future generations can realize the benefits I-49 South stands to provide our state.”

The I-49 South Coalition met with representatives of Louisiana DOTD and the Treasurer’s Office to discuss progress being made along the corridor. The group also shared information with state legislators about the substantial benefits of bringing U.S. 90 up to interstate standards, such as improving safety and commerce, providing traffic congestion relief and evacuation capacity, and stimulating economic development opportunities. More than 100 of the planned 160 miles of I-49 South are complete or currently under construction.

Coalition members highlighted the findings of a 2017 economic impact analysis, which assesses the benefits of completing the I-49 Lafayette Connector and the extension of I-49 South from Lafayette to New Orleans. The study finds that completing the I-49 Lafayette Connector – a 5.5-mile extension of I-49 from I-10 to just south of the Lafayette Regional Airport – demonstrates robust short-term and long-term impacts on jobs and economic growth. Completing both the Lafayette Connector and other segments of I-49 South – to connect with I-310 southwest of New Orleans – would yield even stronger impacts and growth.

Key findings include:

• By 2044, completing the Lafayette Connector and other segments of I-49 South will create more than 6,000 jobs statewide
• Over a 21-year period following the construction of the 5.5-mile Lafayette Connector, the additional GDP contribution to the state of Louisiana is estimated to be more than $2.3 billion
• Over the same period, if both the Lafayette Connector and other segments of I-49 South are completed, the additional GDP contribution to Louisiana is estimated to be more than $9.7 billion
• By 2044, completing the 5.5-mile Lafayette Connector would save drivers an estimated 5 million trip hours. Completing the Lafayette Connector and other segments of I-49 South would save drivers an estimated 27.2 million trip hours
• Doing a benefit-cost analysis based on U.S. Department of Transportation guidelines, the Lafayette Connector has a national benefit-cost ratio of 1.93. Together with other segments of I-49 South, the benefit-cost ratio is 2.42

About the I-49 South Coalition

The I-49 South Coalition unifies and builds upon decades of continued efforts to make I-49 South a reality through public awareness, advocacy, education, policy, and seizing the opportunity for federal and state funding. 

About Infrastructure Week

Infrastructure Week is a national advocacy and educational event taking place from May 13-20, 2019. Across the country, businesses, labor organizations, elected officials, and more have joined together to encourage citizens and policymakers to continue investing in infrastructure and transportation at the federal, state, and local level.

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For more information, contact David Mann at 337-278-0237 or info@i49south.com.

Coalition Chairman David Mann speaks at 2018 DOTD Road Show

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) hosted their annual public “Road Show” on Thursday, October 18. Joint Transportation, Highways, & Public Works Committee members discussed and received public feedback on current state highway construction priorities.

I-49 South Coalition Chairman David Mann thanked DOTD and the Legislature for continued progress on the I-49 South corridor, and stressed the importance of bringing the remaining portions of U.S. 90 up to interstate standards.

Read Chairman Mann’s full statement below:

I-49 South Coalition Statement

Joint Highway Priority Construction Committee

October 18, 2018 | 1:30 PM

LCG City Hall Council Chambers

• I’m David Mann, Chairman of the I-49 South Coalition – a statewide coalition to build on decades of continued efforts to make I-49 South a reality
• The Coalition would like to thank DOTD and members of this committee for continued progress on I-49 South
• We are excited to soon celebrate completion of the Albertson Parkway project in Broussard
• We also look forward to upcoming projects, including the Ambassador Caffery and Verot School Road interchanges in Lafayette Parish and the Railroad Overpass project in Iberia Parish
• Completing I-49 South will benefit Louisiana by improving safety and hurricane evacuation capabilities, reducing traffic congestion, and supporting economic development
• In fact, a 2017 economic impact analysis demonstrated the following statewide benefits of completing I-49 South:
  • 6,000 new jobs created statewide by 2044
  • $9.7 billion increase in Louisiana’s GDP over a 21-year period following construction
  • 27.2 million trip hours saved by drivers by 2044
• However, in order to realize these benefits, we must address our state’s mounting transportation funding backlog
• As you know, Louisiana faces a backlog of nearly $14 billion in needs on our existing road system, with billions more needed for new priority megaprojects, including completion of I-49 South
• The I-49 South Coalition urges our Legislature to find a solution that ensures the future of I-49 South and other critical transportation improvements in Louisiana
• Thank you for your time today, and your continued work to meet our state’s infrastructure needs

BATON ROUGE – Completing I-49 South is Acadiana’s top infrastructure priority, and the I-49 South Coalition continues to advocate for this game-changing investment for Louisiana. Governor John Bel Edwards echoed his support for this priority by proclaiming May 15, 2018 to be I-49 South Day in the State of Louisiana.

As part of National Infrastructure Week, the I-49 South Coalition organized I-49 South Day to recognize and encourage leadership at all levels of government to address Louisiana’s pressing infrastructure investment needs, including the completion of I-49 South.

“We are thrilled to be at the Capitol to discuss the importance of I-49 South with elected leaders and public officials during National Infrastructure Week,” said I-49 South Coalition Chairman David Mann. “It is time to complete this decades-long initiative so that future generations can benefit from this significant future asset.”

The I-49 South Coalition met with representatives of Louisiana DOTD and the Treasurer’s Office to discuss progress being made along the corridor. The group also shared information with state legislators about the substantial benefits of bringing U.S. 90 up to interstate standards, such as improving safety and commerce, providing traffic congestion relief and evacuation capacity, and stimulating economic development opportunities. More than 100 of the planned 160 miles of I-49 South are complete or currently under construction.

Coalition members highlighted the findings of a recent economic impact analysis, which assesses the benefits of completing the I-49 Lafayette Connector and the extension of I-49 South from Lafayette to New Orleans. The study finds that completing the I-49 Lafayette Connector – a 5.5-mile extension of I-49 from I-10 to just south of the Lafayette Regional Airport – demonstrates robust short-term and long-term impacts on jobs and economic growth. Completing both the Lafayette Connector and other segments of I-49 South – to connect with I-310 southwest of New Orleans – would yield even stronger impacts and growth.

Key findings include:

• By 2044, completing the Lafayette Connector and other segments of I-49 South will create more than 6,000 jobs statewide
• Over a 21-year period following the construction of the 5.5-mile Lafayette Connector, the additional GDP contribution to the state of Louisiana is estimated to be more than $2.3 billion
• Over the same period, if both the Lafayette Connector and other segments of I-49 South are completed, the additional GDP contribution to Louisiana is estimated to be more than $9.7 billion
• By 2044, completing the 5.5-mile Lafayette Connector would save drivers an estimated 5 million trip hours. Completing the Lafayette Connector and other segments of I-49 South would save drivers an estimated 27.2 million trip hours
• Doing a benefit-cost analysis based on U.S. Department of Transportation guidelines, the Lafayette Connector has a national benefit-cost ratio of 1.93. Together with other segments of I-49 South, the benefit-cost ratio is 2.42

Infrastructure Week is a national advocacy and educational event taking place from May 14-18, 2018. Across the country, businesses, labor organizations, elected officials, and more have joined together to encourage citizens and policymakers to continue investing in infrastructure and transportation at the federal, state, and local level.

About the I-49 South Coalition

The I-49 South Coalition unifies and builds upon decades of continued efforts to make I-49 South a reality through public awareness, advocacy, education, policy, and seizing the opportunity for federal and state funding. 

###­

For more information, contact David Mann at 337-278-0237 or info@i49south.com.

St. Mary Parish- Today, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the completion of the U.S 90/ La. 318 Interchange Project in St. Mary Parish. Governor John Bel Edwards and DOTD Secretary Shawn D. Wilson, Ph.D., were joined by state and local officials, including House Transportation Committee Chairman Terry Landry, at the West St. Mary Parish Civic Center for the ceremony.

This $55.7 million project consisted of improving the U.S. 90 corridor, as well as the existing U.S. 90 and La. 318 intersection by including a new separated interchange and providing a frontage road system. Additionally, U.S. 90 was upgraded to interstate standards in preparation for the future I-49 South corridor, which includes the I-49 Connector project through Lafayette.

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Yesterday, I-49 South Coalition board members met with State Treasurer John Schroder to advocate for capitalizing on the Louisiana State Transportation Infrastructure Bank (the Bank) to complete critical infrastructure projects like I-49 South. The Bank was established within the Department of the Treasury in 2015, with the purpose of selecting and assisting in financing eligible transportation projects by providing low-interest loans and other financial assistance to municipalities, parishes, and other public entities. Later that year, Louisiana voters approved a Constitutional Amendment allowing the State Treasurer to invest existing state funds into the Bank. Read more on the Bank here…

“The Interstate 49 Lafayette Connector executive committee agreed Friday to advance four options for more detailed evaluation.

The committee considered feedback from technical and community meetings and discussed new alternatives, including moving the southbound exit ramp from Willow Street closer to downtown and whether the existing Evangeline Thruway should be reborn as a grand boulevard or a one-way “couplet” like it is today.

Those are some of the options designers and engineers will be studying further.”

Read more…

BATON ROUGE – Completing I-49 South is Acadiana’s top priority, and the I-49 South Coalition continues to advocate for this game-changing investment for Louisiana. The Louisiana State Legislature echoed its support for this priority by proclaiming May 15, 2017 to be I-49 South Day at the State Capitol.

As part of National Infrastructure Week, the I-49 South Coalition organized I-49 South Day to recognize and encourage leadership at all levels of government to address Louisiana’s pressing infrastructure investment needs, including the completion of I-49 South.

“We are thrilled to be at the Capitol to discuss the importance of I-49 South with elected officials during National Infrastructure Week,” said I-49 South Coalition Chairman David Mann. “It is time to complete this decades-long initiative so that future generations can benefit from this significant future asset.”

Representative Mike Huval, District 46, authored the proclamation recognizing May 15 as I-49 South Day. “Completing I-49 South is critical to the State of Louisiana and the entire country. I am proud to help communicate the importance of this project.”

The I-49 South Coalition met with Louisiana DOTD representatives to discuss progress being made along the corridor. The group shared information with State legislators about the substantial benefits of bringing U.S. 90 up to interstate standards, such as improving safety and commerce, providing traffic congestion relief and evacuation capacity, and stimulating economic development opportunities. More than 100 of the planned 160 miles of I-49 South are complete or currently under construction.

Coalition members also highlighted the findings of a recent economic impact analysis, commissioned by the Community Foundation of Acadiana (CFA), that assesses the benefits of completing the I-49 Lafayette Connector and the extension of I-49 South from Lafayette to New Orleans. The study finds that completing the I-49 Lafayette Connector – a 5.5-mile extension of I-49 from I-10 to just south of the Lafayette Regional Airport – demonstrates robust short-term and long-term impacts on jobs and economic growth. Completing both the Lafayette Connector and other segments of I-49 South – to connect with I-310 southwest of New Orleans – would yield even stronger impacts and growth. The study received cooperative support from a number of partners, including the I-49 South Coalition.

Infrastructure Week is a national advocacy and educational event taking place from May 15-19, 2017. Across the country, businesses, labor organizations, elected officials, and more have joined together to encourage citizens and policymakers to continue investing in infrastructure and transportation at the federal, state, and local level.