WAFB
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, along with Baton Rouge Area Chamber is hoping to get more money during session to fund the widening of I-10.
DOTD is hoping for a little more cash will flow their way during session this year, that way they can continue their project widening I-10. They are focusing on the funding for phase 2 which will include the interstate starting at the Lakes all the way to the I-12 split.
“What we are talking about is how do we fund the second phase of this project, so that we can operate with some certainty in timing as it relates to actually building the project. A lot of that is going to come up during session, but we are looking at a long term plan of how you fund the infrastructure and build in the state of Louisiana,” says Dr. Shawn Wilson who is Louisiana DOTD’s secretary.
Widening I-10 means less traffic and more time for people to get where they need to go. That’s what BRAC is promoting. A better infrastructure would not only help area businesses, but also make travel easier for tourists.
“One of the major issues in the capitol region has been transportation for years. So, we are trying to advocate to help relieve the traffic congestion. Right now, more workers are spending more time in traffic than they need to be compared to similar cities. 55 hours in a year and spending $1,000 each year for that additional time and traffic,” says David Zoller who is BRAC’s management of government affairs.
DOTD says they have the funding for Phase 1. Once construction begins, it will require patience from all drivers, but they know in the long run drivers will appreciate the better traffic flow.
As the marketing intern at BRAC, Camryn assists the marketing team in developing marketing material while also managing social media accounts and writing content for BRAC’s blog.