Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In
Streetsblog USA

How Not to Do It, CA: Louisiana Raids Maintenance Fund 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
false

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 California

Transform : Traffic Congestion Is a Housing and Transit Problem, Not a Highway Problem

Even the smartest engineer will come up with the wrong answer when they start with the wrong assumptions.

October 23, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines

If the Mayor of San Francisco really got Trump to call off ICE raids, maybe we could all borrow the transcript?

October 23, 2025

PROWAG Passed. Now What?

"Even though we do not yet have a set of comprehensive federally enforceable rules telling us how to make our streets and sidewalks accessible, there is still lots of work to do."

October 22, 2025

Culver City Cuts Ribbon to Open Robertson Blvd Bus/Bike Facility

This morning Culver City officially opened its Robertson Boulevard Complete Street project. Culver City Mayor Dan O’Brien cut the ceremonial ribbon before a crowd of about 60. Culver City’s Chief Transportation Officer, Diana Chang, spoke about how Robertson is now “safer for everyone” and how the project demonstrates the city’s commitment to multimodal mobility, safety,…

October 22, 2025

StreetSmart 11: Exploring Fire Department Tensions in the “War for Street Space”

Why are some fire departments blocking safer street designs? On this week’s StreetSmart Podcast, Damien Newton talks with UC Berkeley’s Zach Lamb about his new report on the tensions shaping the “war for street space.”

October 22, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines

Sometimes my other duties for Streetsblog get me off to a later start for SBCAL than I'd like. Sorry!

October 22, 2025
See all posts