Jindal announces $150M in rural road improvements

As part of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s initiative to bond out half of the State Highway Improvement Fund—which will generate $425 million over three years to repair approximately 1,100 miles of rural roads across Louisiana—the governor today announced a $150 million investment to repair approximately 360 miles of rural roadways. In the first year, the $150 million will be used for nearly 80 projects. None of the original projects in the pipeline are located in East Baton Rouge Parish, according to a list you can see here. Rep. Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro, authored a bill in the 2012 legislative session to bond out the State Highway Improvement Fund, which was created exclusively to fund state roads, mostly rural, that are not eligible for federal funding. “These investments will upgrade roads that in some cases have not been repaired in 30 years to help make our state more attractive for new business investments and, most importantly, to make our roads safer for our families,” Jindal says. DOTD plans to accept bids for the projects beginning in January 2013. Get the full details at the governor’s website here.