The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) was one of seven states to be recognized with an outstanding transportation project award at the recent Southeastern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (SASHTO) annual meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas.
DOTD’s winning entry in the America’s Transportation Awards competition was the Louisiana TIMED Program, which earned top honors in the Innovative Management, Large Project category.
SASHTO is one of four regional transportation organizations that is part of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). AASHTO, AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sponsor the competition to honor America's very best in transportation.
The DOTD TIMED Program is delivering one of the most ambitious and innovative infrastructure programs in the United States. The $4.6 billion program has resulted in almost 500 miles of improved roads, a new port, airport upgrades, and two bridge projects spanning the Mississippi River. It is funded with a dedicated 4-cents-per-gallon gas tax approved in 1989 by the state legislature and voters.
To expedite the delivery of the projects, a program manager was brought on board in 2002 and innovative project delivery methods were also put in place, such as expediting right-of-way methods, utility relocations, and environmental permitting. These factors have allowed delivery of projects 20 years sooner than the original 2031 completion date.
The widened roadways, new bridges, and expanded ports created by the Louisiana TIMED Program are benefitting the residents of Louisiana by creating economic development opportunities for business, improving vital evacuation routes, and making critical freight corridors safer and more efficient. The project has also delivered job creation as thousands of Louisiana workers are building these projects every day.
The Program Manager is Louisiana TIMED Managers, a joint venture of GEC Inc., PB Americas Inc., and THE LPA GROUP INCORPORATED.
Other SASHTO member states to earn project honors were Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and North Carolina.
To learn more about the southeastern region's award winners and the overall competition, go to www.americastransportationaward.org.
For information on the TIMED Program, go to www.timedla.com.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is committed to delivering transportation and public works systems that enhance the quality of life. In addition to more than 16,600 miles of roadway, including over 890 miles of interstate, DOTD supports the development of the state’s aviation, marine and rail infrastructures. Through this work, we are able to facilitate economic development, create job opportunities, improve vital evacuation routes, and make critical freight corridors safer and more efficient.
For more information, please visit www.dotd.la.gov, email dotdcs@la.gov, or call DOTD’s Customer Service Center at (225) 379-1232 or 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683). Business hours are 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Motorists can access up-to-date travel information by dialing 511 or by visiting www.511la.org.
Out-of-state travelers can call 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511).