By Victoria Shirley
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Governor Jindal has given the go-ahead to a multi billion dollar construction spending plan this week and a good chunk of change is heading to Northeast Louisiana.
Thanks to North East Louisiana law makers, nearly 100 NELA projects are included in the state's approved construction budget. The spending plan totals over 4.3 billion dollars. Monroe city economic development officer Dwight Vines says the success is credited to team work. "I hear year after year from people in baton rouge that the legislative delegation from north east Louisiana work together more closely than delegations from any other areas." said Vines.
Vines says the City of Monroe has four projects included in the plan:
- Nearly four million for the Kansas Garret connector.
- $250,00.00 for downtown development.
- 4 million for a 165 business connector.
- One million for the city airport.
But of those, the city will only see the money for the Kansas Garret connector this fiscal year. "We have federal funds for much of that project already. The funding that we got this year from the state, provides a 20% match so we'll go ahead and use the federal funding we have on hand." But not all projects included in the plan will be given the green light right away. The borrowing portion of the spending plan is over budgeted by 120 million dollars. Meaning lawmakers won't know until fall which projects will advance in that category.
But as for Vines, he says although the city will only see immediate money for one project, the state money goes a long way.
The following are other North East Louisiana projects:
Red River Headquarters/Research Facility/Bunkhouse Renovation - $780,600
Concordia Parish Public Health Center Renovation - $150,000
Clayton School Gymnasium - $100,000
Development of a Slackwater Port on the Mississippi River - $5,000,000
Projects receiving additional funding in East Carroll Parish include:
East Carroll Parish Courthouse and Jail Renovations - $565,000
East Carroll Parish Government and/or Head Start Complex - $175,000
Mississippi River Levee Raising, Arkansas to Old River - $2,500,000
New projects and projects receiving additional funding in Madison Parish include:
Madison Parish Courthouse Renovations - $685,000
Richmond Street Improvements - $1,000,000
Mississippi River Levee Raising, Arkansas to Old River - $2,500,000
New projects and projects receiving additional funding in Morehouse Parish include:
Chemin-a-Haut State Park Acquisition - $770,000
Bastrop Central Fire Station & City Hall Improvements - $450,000
New projects and projects receiving additional funding in Ouachita Parish include:
Chennault Aviation and Military Museum - $310,000
Headquarters/Bunkhouse Russell Sage WMA - $225,204
Storage Building - Monroe Fish Hatchery, District 2 Headquarters - $260,000
ULM Sandel Hall Renovation - $17,200,000
ULM Stubbs Hall Re-roofing - $635,000
I-20 Interchange Improvement, Kansas Garrett Connector and Kansas Lane Connector - $3,850,000
US Highway 165 South, US Highway 165 Business Route Connector - $4,125,000
Monroe Regional Airport Terminal - $1,000,000
Sterlington Service Road - $120,000
Rays of Sonshine, Project Elevate! - $50,000
New projects and projects receiving additional funding in Richland Parish include:
Floy W. McElroy Education Center - $50,000
Richland Parish Courthouse Renovations - $535,000
Sapa Drive Improvements - $250,000
Richland Parish Recreational and Learning Center - $800,000
Rayville Railroad Spur - $250,000
Projects receiving additional funding in Tensas Parish include:
Tensas Parish Port/Port Priority Site Plan - $163,808
Mississippi River Levee Raising, Arkansas to Old River - $2,500,000
Lake Bruin State Park - Acquisition - $275,000
