Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Highway Expansion

Louisiana Raids Its Maintenance Fund to Pay for Road Expansions

This year, Louisiana will raid $21.6 million from its road maintenance fund to pay for road projects, including some expansions, that have been on the books since 1989. The state will have to keep stealing from the fund for the next 27 years to pay for them.

Two projects, including the construction of a new four-lane highway connecting I-12 to Bush, Louisiana, continue to cost the state dearly, 26 years after they were approved. Image: ##http://wwwapps.dotd.la.gov/administration/public_info/projects/home.aspx?key=88##Louisiana DOTD##
Two projects, including the construction of a new four-lane highway connecting I-12 to Bush, Louisiana, continue to cost the state dearly, 26 years after they were approved. Image: Louisiana DOTD
Two projects, including the construction of a new four-lane highway connecting I-12 to Bush, Louisiana, continue to cost the state dearly, 26 years after they were approved. Image: ##http://wwwapps.dotd.la.gov/administration/public_info/projects/home.aspx?key=88##Louisiana DOTD##

Voters approved a package of 16 road and bridge projects under a pay-as-you-go model 26 years ago. Two of the projects, both in the New Orleans area, are still underway, according to a report by The Advocate:

Meanwhile, leaders have long since concluded that financing the improvements through a special, 4-cents-per-gallon tax was not enough.

The original price tag for the projects was $1.4 billion. The latest estimate is $5.2 billion.

“It is unbelievable,” said state Sen. Bodi White, R-Central, who is often involved in Baton Rouge-area highway projects.

State officials say construction will last up to 10 years, and taxpayers will be shelling out for these roads long after building has ended. Since the 4-cents-a-gallon tax fund the state is authorized to use for these projects is insufficient, the state is digging into a fund that’s supposed to cover ordinary road maintenance in the region. The raids will recur annually for the next 27 years, starting at $21.6 million this year and ending at an estimated $87.6 million in 2044.

“It was ill-conceived,” Republican Sen. Dale Erdey, a veteran member of the Senate Transportation Committee, told The Advocate. “They told Joe Public that it would be a pay-as-you-go-type situation, and of course, that was totally off base.”

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday Video: Let’s Go Biking in Berlin

Streetsblog takes you on a six-minute vacation to one of Europe's great cycling cities.

July 18, 2025

Friday’s Headlines Take the Long Cut

Republicans couldn't repeal higher fuel efficiency standards, so instead they made it painless for automakers to ignore them.

July 18, 2025

Can the D.C. Region Substitute Rail With Buses?

Instead of splashy new rail projects, the D.C. region wants to refocus around the bus. But will it work?

July 18, 2025

Trump and Duffy Continue Assault on California and the Environment, Officially Cancel Federal Funding for High-Speed Rail

“Canceling these grants without cause isn’t just wrong — it’s illegal,” said CAHSRA CEO Ian Choudri.

July 17, 2025

Talking Headways Podcast: Reclaiming the Road

Ohio elected official and geographer David Prytherch on his new book, Reclaiming the Road: Mobility Justice Beyond Complete Streets.

July 17, 2025

A Few Lowlights from Secretary Duffy’s First Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Hearing

Featuring: shouting matches, word-salad answers, blatant misinformation, and more.

July 17, 2025
See all posts