DOTD secures $5.81 million federal grant for Baton Rouge–New Orleans rail bridge replacements
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 1:58:40 PM
Project will strengthen freight reliability and advance corridor readiness for future passenger rail service
BATON ROUGE, LA – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has been selected to receive $5.81 million through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program for the Baton Rouge–New Orleans Rail Bridge Replacement project.
The federal award will support project development, final design, and construction to replace five aging bridges along the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (CPKC) rail line between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The bridges will be replaced with large steel drainage pipes beneath the tracks.
The $8.3 million project is a public-private partnership (P3) between DOTD and CPKC, combining the $5.81 million in federal funding with a $2.49 million private investment from CPKC. The partnership supports DOTD’s Transforming Transportation with Transparency and Teamwork (T4LA) initiative by bringing federal and private resources together to strengthen Louisiana’s transportation infrastructure.
“This award is a major step toward strengthening one of Louisiana’s most important freight corridors and laying the groundwork for future passenger rail service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans,” said DOTD Secretary Glenn Ledet. “Replacing these aging structures will help goods move safely and reliably while supporting long-term economic growth across southeast Louisiana.”
“This project is a strong example of how federal, state, and private partners can work together to improve the entire transportation network,” said DOTD Commissioner of Multimodal Commerce Mark Wright. “These bridge replacements will support the ports, industries, and communities that depend on reliable freight rail today while preparing the corridor for the passenger service Louisiana is working to deliver.”
The five bridges are in St. James and St. Charles parishes, crossing Blind River Slough, Tchackehou Bayou, Bayou La Trainase, the St. James Parish Canal, and an unnamed canal. Two of the structures are within the town of Lutcher, and three are outside municipal boundaries.
The structures have an estimated one to five years of remaining useful life and currently require more than $200,000 in annual maintenance. Their replacement will reduce maintenance needs, service interruptions, and restrictions on train speeds, improving the safety, efficiency, and reliability of freight movement along the corridor.
“CPKC is proud to partner with DOTD on infrastructure that supports the customers and communities we serve. Our $2.49 million commitment reflects the importance of this corridor and our shared focus on safe, reliable rail service,” said Larry Lloyd, CPKC’s assistant vice president of U.S. government affairs.
The CPKC route currently carries freight and has been identified as the preferred route for future passenger rail service between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The bridge replacements will remove a key infrastructure constraint and help prepare the corridor for passenger operations; the project itself does not establish passenger service.
Pending execution of the grant agreement, project development is expected to begin in the first half of 2027. Construction could begin as early as mid-2028, with project completion anticipated in early 2030. DOTD’s Office of Multimodal Commerce will administer the federal award and provide oversight in coordination with the Federal Railroad Administration and CPKC.
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