LeBas: DOTD developing possible projects funded by unspent stimulus monies
by Robbie Evans - News Star (excerpt)

A new round of projects funded by federal stimulus monies may be coming to the region, according Louisiana's top transportation official. State Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Sherri LeBas said Tuesday the agency is developing transportation improvement projects that would be funded by unspent stimulus monies and let for bid later this year.

LeBas was in Monroe to update area legislators on DOTD projects and to view construction on some ongoing DOTD projects. LeBas said DOTD successfully met its deadline earlier this year to allocate $430 million in transportation improvement projects with its federal stimulus funding. Ouachita Parish received $9.6 million in federal stimulus funding for road improvement projects and DOTD is spending several million dollars more for projects on state-maintained roads through the stimulus program.

"We also had projects that came in with bids under their estimated costs, so we reallocated those monies to additional projects," LeBas said. "We have to get those monies reauthorized by Sept. 30. It was a challenge to meet the deadlines, but everybody stepped up and worked hard to get those projects out."