(By Nolan Mckendry/The Center Square) – Louisiana’s District 7 in the southwest part of the state is set to receive critical infrastructure upgrades as part of the state’s Highway Priority Program.

The improvements, funded by a mix of state and federal sources, will focus on system preservation, safety, and capacity projects.

One of the largest projects, the long-awaited Interstate 10 Calcasieu River Bridge, is currently in the design phase. Construction is expected to begin in early 2026.

In the meantime, private partners will assume maintenance of the project footprint in early 2025, marking a significant step in the public-private partnership managing this project. The design work, while lengthy, has already generated $12 million in savings compared to initial estimates, according to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Joe Donahue.

District 7 is unique in its infrastructure challenges and benefits from a surge of additional funding. Soon, the district will see the fruits of several projects, including paving new lane miles, upgrading traffic signals, and purchasing bridge materials for ongoing maintenance.

Safety improvements are a top priority, with nearly $1 million allocated for guardrail and cable barrier repairs, particularly on Interstate 10 and Interstate 210.

Additional projects, such as the reconstruction of State Highway 14 (Gerstner Memorial), are set to commence in November. The project will include pavement rehabilitation and other safety enhancements funded by state and federal sources, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Louisiana is receiving around $1 billion in bridge formula funds over five years, although this will cover only a fraction of the state’s estimated $18.9 billion in infrastructure needs.

For the fiscal year 2025-2026, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development expects an outlay of $1.12 billion. Of that, $526 million will be dedicated to system preservation, $101 million to operations, $74 million to safety, and $246 million to capacity projects, including major infrastructure such as bridges. Despite these investments, the state can only address a small percentage of its broader needs.

The DOTD has already addressed 55 of the 203 highway construction project requests from the last three hearings, and additional projects are under review for the next round of funding, which will be discussed in hearings scheduled for late 2025.

These infrastructure upgrades represent a significant step forward for District 7, as additional funding sources allow for both safety improvements and long-term investments in the region’s critical roadways and bridges.

The DOTD told The Center Square that they do not expect the current fiscal cliff to endanger any funding for the projects.