The LA 1 / LA 415 Connector Project
H.005121
The solution to Intracoastal Waterway Bridge safety, evacuation and bottleneck issues
Support HB 578 That Dedicates Funds for LA 415 / LA 1 Connector
House Bill 578 would dedicate economic development proceeds from the Deepwater Horizon Economic Damages Collection Fund to the planning and construction of the La. 415 Bridge, as well as for other infrastructure projects. The West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce recognizes the dire need to secure this critical funding for the long-planned La. 415 / La. 1 connector, which would bypass the congested La. 1 and provide another access point to Interstate 10 and the Mississippi River Bridge; and, the second phase of improvements to La. 1 between Golden Meadow and Leesville. Rep. Tanner Magee, who represents District 53, and Sen. Rick Ward, III, R-Port Allen, co-authored the bill to provide the means necessary for the near "shovel-ready” infrastructure project because of work by the Parish, which has provided for the La. 415 corridor study, and more recently the topography survey. The connector will provide an I-10 diversion to detour traffic across the river via the US 190 Bridge during peak traffic times and in the event of an incident on the Horace Wilkinson Bridge.