$222 million needed for La. road, bridges

• By WILL SENTELL
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Sep 18, 2008 - Page: 4A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Louisiana roads and bridges will need about $222 million for repairs and cleanup after hurricanes Gustav and Ike, state officials said Wednesday.

The federal government is expected to pick up most of the tab. When that happens is another question.

“We have faith that they are going to reimburse us,” said Mark Lambert, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation and Development. “The question is when.”

The state has collected $5 million in federal road aid for the two storms.

Any unexpected state spending could be significant since Louisiana already has a $14 billion backlog of road and bridge needs.

The preliminary tab for damages is $127 million for Hurricane Gustav and $94 million for Hurricane Ike.

The joint tally includes:

• $75 million for debris removal.
• $68 million in repairs to roads and bridges.
• $27 million for buses used to help residents evacuate from areas in the path of the storms.

Other big-ticket expenses include $20 million to repair drawbridges and $6.5 million in traffic signal damages.

William Ankner, secretary for the state Department of Transportation and Development, did not respond to a request for comment.

Lambert said the amount of debris in the Baton Rouge area is roughly the same as the amount that has to be picked up from state roads and bridges statewide.

Damages to roads and bridges stemmed from high winds and floodwaters. Electrical and mechanical problems are among the culprits.

The $5 million that federal officials have provided for road repairs includes $2 million announced on Wednesday for damages caused by Hurricane Ike.

That storm caused flooding, wind and other problems for coastal parishes on Friday and Saturday, especially in southwest Louisiana.

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said in a prepared statement that the money is “a down payment on our commitment to the people of this region.”