BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) recently received $23 million in redistributed federal funding that will go towards a project to widen a portion of La. 1 in Caddo Parish.

Each year, the United States Department of Transportation redistributes federal funding. DOTD received the redistributed funding due to being successful in obligating the full amount of its federal funding for last federal fiscal year, which spanned from October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010. The redistributed funding was allocated towards the La. 1 widening project because it is shovel-ready.

Governor Jindal said, "This funding will help to provide much-needed relief to the more than 17,000 drivers using this section of road each day. In addition, adding the new lanes to La. 1 will help facilitate economic growth in this region and is just another example of how investment in infrastructure helps to move Louisiana forward."

Work on the estimated $20 million to $30 million project will involve widening 5.2 miles of La. 1 from two to four lanes with a median between La. 173 (Dixie Blanchard Road) and La. 169 (Dixie-Mooringsport Road). The project will help to ease congestion and improve safety for drivers using this section of road each day. DOTD will accept bids for the work in December 2010.

"I’d like to commend the dedicated staff at DOTD for accomplishing our goal of having all of our federal funding obligated by the end of the federal fiscal year," said DOTD Secretary Sherri H. LeBas." "It’s because of their hard work that we were able to receive the funding necessary to get this much-needed project built."

State Representative James H. Morris, whose district includes this section of La. 1, noted the importance of the widening project by saying, "I would like to thank Governor Jindal and Secretary LeBas for moving this project to the forefront. This project was promised to the residents of my district and I appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in getting the project done. It will go a long way toward improving the quality of life for residents of northwest Louisiana by making driving in this area safer and more efficient."

Work on the project will begin in spring 2011 and take approximately one and a half years to complete.

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.