DOTD opens bids for TIMED segments

The Louisiana Dept. of Transportation and Development received bids on two TIMED segments in September.

With a bid received on Sept. 24 of $12.6 million, James Construction Group Inc. was the apparent low bidder on the US 167 project in Dubach. Construction is scheduled to begin in the next several months. The 2.6-mile segment will be widened to five lanes through the town.

Bids were also accepted on a West Napoleon project in Jefferson Parish. Boh Bros. Construction Co. was the apparent low bidder on the segment between Roosevelt and David with a bid of $12.2 million. This widening project should also begin within the next several months.

"The accelerated schedule of the TIMED Program has DOTD opening bids for construction every month over the next few years to ensure all construction is underway by 2008," said Buddy Porta, DOTD TIMED Program spokesperson.

The TIMED (Transportation Infrastructure Model for Economic Development) Program is the single largest transportation program in Louisiana history. The $3.5 billion improvement program includes widening 500 miles of state highways to four lanes on 11 project corridors, widening and/or new construction on three major bridges and improvements to both the Port of New Orleans and Louis Armstrong International Airport.

The program is designed to enhance economic development in Louisiana through an investment in transportation projects.

DOTD, partners promote traffic safety with Traffic Safety Summit

The Louisiana Dept. of Transportation and Development, in partnership with the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, the Federal Highway Administration, Louisiana State Police, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently held the first Traffic Safety Summit at the Marriott Hotel in Baton Rouge.

The theme of the summit was "Managing Highway Safety in Louisiana" and featured an agenda focused on the costs of highway crashes and the three E's of traffic safety: engineering, education and enforcement.

The summit focused on the national and statewide theme for October, "Put the Brakes on Highway Fatalities."

The goal of the summit was to generate renewed interest and greater awareness of the critical highway safety issues and concerns in Louisiana to reduce the number of deaths on Louisiana highways. In an effort to revitalize traffic safety in Louisiana, the Dept. of Transportation and Development used the event to incorporate existing ideas into proactive programs with the help of numerous local, state and federal partners.

"This safety summit represents our renewed commitment to reducing highway accidents and fatalities in Louisiana. By bringing our federal, state and local partners together, we can combine resources, revitalize safety programs and focus on our common goal - to save lives," said Dr. Kam Movassaghi, secretary, Louisiana Dept. of Transportation and Development.

Invited speakers included Dr. Jeffrey Runge, administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; Mary Peters, administrator, Federal Highway Administration; and Annette Sandberg, administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.