SporTran, City of Shreveport hold news conference on how they’ll spend federal infrastructure funds
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - SporTran held a joint news conference Monday morning with the City of Shreveport to discuss funding from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure Sustainably and Equitably (RAISE) grant.
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Shreveport is one of two northwest Louisiana cities receiving millions of dollars from the federal government to make infrastructure improvements. The money is coming from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
SporTran CEO Dinero Washington says the funding will go towards major transit and infrastructure upgrades to Shreveport’s medical district.
The Shreveport Healthcare and Development Corridor Improvements Project will get more than $27 million in public investment; this includes the more than $22 million RAISE grant and a 20% local match of $5,541,000 from Shreveport’s General Fund. The 1.6-mile corridor is home to a number of public and private medical facilities. Several community partners will invest more than $300 million over the next five years, SporTran officials say.
The city will prioritize upgrades to the transportation network to support growth in the area.
According to a 2014 study by Tripp Umbach, there are around 30,000 direct and indirect employees working in this medical corridor, which has an estimated yearly economic impact of $4.9 billion. Investment in this area is expected to bring new services, innovations, and employment opportunities.
DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT
- Reconstructed roadways, transit bus pull-outs, and streetscaping
- Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) using battery-electric bus technology
- Enhanced Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access
- Traffic signal improvements and emergency vehicle preemption (EVP) technology
- Improved pedestrian facilities including signals, a pedestrian bridge, and sidewalks
- Protected bike lanes, traditional bike lanes, and sharrows
- Improved street lighting
“Today’s [Aug. 9] announcement marks the start of transformational change to our healthcare corridor that is vital to the economic growth of our city,” said Mayor Adrian Perkins. “SporTran will work with our healthcare partners on the development of transportation projects that will be beneficial to all Shreveporters. This funding serves as the catalyst for bringing much needed infrastructure improvements to our city.”
The other city receiving money is Natchitoches. While Shreveport is slated to get $22,164,000, Natchitoches will be receiving $17,253,272.
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