Industry leaders and lawmakers in Louisiana are eyeing infrastructure projects as the remedy for its coronavirus-plagued economy. In addition to seeking ways to fast-track existing projects, they’re pinning their hopes on an unprecedented infusion of federal cash to tackle the state’s backlog of infrastructure work.
Just a few days after signing the unprecedented $2 trillion federal stimulus plan on March 27, President Donald Trump called for another $2 trillion relief package, this time to fund infrastructure such as roads and bridges. The prospect of dedicating such a massive amount of money solely to infrastructure has sparked conversations among industry leaders eager for the state to address its unmet infrastructure needs, which long predate the COVID-19 pandemic.