NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Governor Jeff Landry is calling on Congress to increase federal investment in Louisiana’s infrastructure.
On Wednesday (Jan. 15) morning, Landry was one of several leaders testifying before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
“Our people, our commerce must be able to move efficiently and effectively over reliable and improved infrastructure,” Landry said.
The Governor made a pitch for money to complete I-49 through Lafayette and to build a new Calcasieu River Bridge in Lake Charles. The multi-billion dollar bridge project will be tolled once complete.
“We would basically beg Congress to help us secure additional funding to lower the toll on the commercial traffic that will flow over that bridge,” Landry said. “The tolls that we will have to implement certainly are not what I would like them to be and y’all can help.”
Landry said in 2022, Louisiana moved half a trillion dollars worth of freight along interstates. The Governor said Louisiana’s infrastructure is critical to the nation. Landry noted the number of semi-trucks leaving ports can cause major congestion through the state’s main arteries.
“We need the federal government’s help to eliminate that congestion, but more importantly move those goods that service your districts and help you grow your economy,” Landry said.
Landry believes federal reforms must happen to make money stretch further on projects.
“Eliminate the regulatory barriers, streamline the permitting and truly implement the one federal decision,” Landry said. “The one federal decision would establish a one agency, one decision structure for environmental reviews, shorten the environmental review process to two years to address infrastructure needs faster.”
See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.
Subscribe to the Fox 8 YouTube channel.
Copyright 2025 WVUE. All rights reserved.