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District Development #7- This covers the week from January 6, 2018 - January 19, 2018. It provides a recap of the major events happening in each district that we feel the members need to be aware of/kept up to date. This article covers Baton Rouge, the Southwest District (Lafayette & Lake Charles), New Orleans, and the Northwest Region. BATON ROUGE: To LAGC Highway Division Members Ladies and Gentlemen: Many have inquired as to the recent announcement of the DOTD innovative financing method and the included projects announced last week. Let me explain. The financing for the 3 projects mentioned last week comes from GARVEE bonds. GARVEE bonds are bonds sold by the state that are paid back with future Federal funding. Some 20+ states have used this means of financing projects. What has to guarded against is the full commitment of future Federal funds. LAGC included in the authorizing legislation, passed in 2003, language that limited the GARVEE bond sale to 10% of future Federal funds in any one year. The projects mentioned, B.R. I-10 widening from Miss. River bridge to the split, N.O. I-10 on/off ramp and entrance to new airport terminal and B.C. I-20 on/off ramp to Barksdale air base all qualify as Interstate I-4R Federal funding. DOTD will not use more than 10% of the I-4R Federal funding for the next 12 years for the payback on the GARVEE bonds. That may total between $40 - $45 million per year. The remainder must come from local match. The state is not matching. All this has to be approved by the House and Senate Budget Committees and both Transportation Committees and the locals to come up with the match. I have been assured by DOTD Secretary Wilson that in conversations with locals on these projects, that the local match is not a problem. Time line on this work hitting the streets would be next year. As mentioned legislative Committees have to approve the funding and the projects and the bonds have to sold. I would guess the projects will go either Design Build or Construction Management @ Risk. DOTD has not decided whether the projects will go as 1 large project or broken into smaller sections. For additional information please contact Ken Naquin at: 225-344-0432 or email: kenn@lagc.org LAFAYETTE: Lafayette: It’s a new year and there is a lot going on. Our first quarterly meeting has been scheduled for February 7th at Don’s Seafood. Darrell Cahoon will be speaking about what AGC will be backing legislatively this year. We have also scheduled the crawfish boil and our Charity Golf Tournament to be held at The Wetlands. More details will be coming out soon regarding these two events. It’s going to be a great year! For additional information please contact David Landreneau at davidl@lagc.org LAKE CHARLES: It’s a new year and there is a lot going on. Our first quarterly meeting has been scheduled for February 8th at Pat’s of Henderson Restaurant. Darrell Cahoon will be speaking about what AGC will be backing legislatively this year. We have also scheduled our annual crawfish boil. Everyone really loved having the event at Prien Lake Park so that is where we will be again this year. It is scheduled for April 4th. There will be more details coming regarding the boil. It’s going to be a great year! For additional information please contact David Landreneau at davidl@lagc.org NEW ORLEANS: The New Orleans district took the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to meet with the president of the New Orleans Business Council as well as some members, to discuss a plan of action in regards to the infrastructure program affecting the New Orleans Department of Public Works and Sewerage and Water Board. The conversation was pointed and effective. A coalition of industry groups will soon be formulated to make stronger the message to local and state officials on the importance of properly managing this huge infrastructure allocation. AGC will remain engaged and at the forefront of ensuring our members can take full advantage of this potential work. For additional information please contact Andre Kelly at andrek@lagc.org