$13 billion road and bridge backlog big part of upcoming debate

The state's $13 billion backlog of needed road and bridge work is mostly for highway work, heavily focused on south Louisiana, and will play a key role in the upcoming debate on how to improve transportation in Louisiana.

New lanes and other highway improvements account for $10 billion of the backlog, according to a report by the state Department of Transportation and Development. Bridge repairs account for the other $3 billion.

In addition, just four of the state's nine highway districts account for 62 percent of the needed highway upgrades, with the Baton Rouge area alone making up 20 percent of the total.

The other three districts are in the New Orleans, Lafayette and Hammond areas.

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