NEWS

Gov. John Bel Edwards and other Louisiana officials break ground on key La. 1 upgrade

Gov. John Bel Edwards and other state and local officials broke ground Friday on a key upgrade to La. 1 in south Lafourche.

The $463 million project will add 8.3 miles of elevated highway from Golden Meadow to Leeville and improve access to the Gulf of Mexico oilfield service hub at Port Fourchon.

Once complete in 2027, it will link with earlier upgrades so 19.3 miles of highway will be elevated between Golden Meadow and the port.

“This project is a piece of a much grander vision for Louisiana, which is why we have continued to invest in infrastructure and development,” Edwards said. “This corridor will provide relief for regional transportation needs, creating a resilient structure, all while stimulating economic growth."

A raised section of La. 1 that runs to Port Fourchon is seen Oct. 9, 2020, as Hurricane Delta approaches the Louisiana coast.

“Elevating La. 1 has long been a top priority of mine, and today’s monumental groundbreaking is a significant step forward for our region’s safety and the nation’s energy security,” said U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Metairie. “Elevating La. 1 ensures our state will continue to play an essential role in American energy dominance for decades to come.”

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy and Rep. Garret Graves, both Republicans, and Congressman Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, also praised the latest development as a boost to the area's oil and gas and shipbuilding industries as well as an improved hurricane evacuation route for Port Fourchon and Grand Isle.

Guest opinion:La. 1 upgrades are a major victory for south Louisiana

Earlier this week:GeauxPass Center reopens in Golden Meadow for first time since Hurricane Ida

'We're still hurting':Houma area tourism struggles to recover after COVID, Hurricane Ida

Louisiana Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson said more than 1,300 trucks and heavy vehicles travel La. 1 each day to and from the port, a service hub for about 90% of the oil-and-gas platforms in the Gulf.

"Elevating La. 1 solves the challenges presented when port activity comes to a halt because of flooding on the existing at-grade highway," Wilson said.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony Friday in Leeville for an upgrade to La. 1 in south Lafourche.

The state received word in June 2020 that a federal grant, secured with the help of Scalise and Graves, will pay $135 million toward the work. About $150 million will come from the state's share of fines levied against BP after the 2010 Gulf oil spill. The rest will come from a combination of state construction money, the Lafourche Port Commission, the Parish Council and businesses and oil companies that use or rely on the port.

"Nearly seven years ago, we wrote the federal law that resulted in prioritized federal funds for nationally significant energy corridors like La 1," Graves said. "That long-term strategy directly resulted in our ability to partner with Rep. Scalise to bring home the largest transportation grant awarded in 2020 for this project. This is a perfect example of a local and real infrastructure solution that addresses our national priorities."