DOTD: LA 1 elevated highway 75% complete; final phase aims for 2027 finish
July 16, 2026 | Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board, Boards & Commissions, Organizations, Executive, Louisiana
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A representative from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development briefed the CPRA board on the LA 1 elevated highway project during the July 15 meeting in Thibodaux.
The presenter told the board the 19‑mile structure is being built in four phases with a total program cost of about $848,000,000 and that the currently active construction segment is roughly 75% complete. "The 19 mile structure is being built in 4 phases, totaling $848,000,000," the DOTD presenter said. The final elevated section is slated for completion in 2027, and the project will provide a 22‑foot finished roadway elevation over vulnerable low‑lying sections and dedicated shoulders to improve safety and access.
DOTD staff said the project also includes environmental mitigation: the permit calculation assumes shade impacts across the elevated structure and the agency estimated about 101 acres of wetlands mitigation tied to the 19‑mile corridor. The project will create approximately 100 acres of wetlands as mitigation, the presenter said, and includes a mix of industry matching funds, USDOT grants and BP economic‑damages funding in addition to state investment.
Board members praised the engineering and funding partnerships and asked technical questions about construction sequencing and mitigation. DOTD emphasized the project's role in maintaining access to Port Fourchon and said the elevated route will reduce the frequency and duration of storm‑related closures that previously cost the economy and oil‑and‑gas supply chains when LA 1 flooded.
The presentation closed with an invitation for technical follow‑up; DOTD staff said a project manager would be available for subsequent questions.
The presenter told the board the 19‑mile structure is being built in four phases with a total program cost of about $848,000,000 and that the currently active construction segment is roughly 75% complete. "The 19 mile structure is being built in 4 phases, totaling $848,000,000," the DOTD presenter said. The final elevated section is slated for completion in 2027, and the project will provide a 22‑foot finished roadway elevation over vulnerable low‑lying sections and dedicated shoulders to improve safety and access.
DOTD staff said the project also includes environmental mitigation: the permit calculation assumes shade impacts across the elevated structure and the agency estimated about 101 acres of wetlands mitigation tied to the 19‑mile corridor. The project will create approximately 100 acres of wetlands as mitigation, the presenter said, and includes a mix of industry matching funds, USDOT grants and BP economic‑damages funding in addition to state investment.
Board members praised the engineering and funding partnerships and asked technical questions about construction sequencing and mitigation. DOTD emphasized the project's role in maintaining access to Port Fourchon and said the elevated route will reduce the frequency and duration of storm‑related closures that previously cost the economy and oil‑and‑gas supply chains when LA 1 flooded.
The presentation closed with an invitation for technical follow‑up; DOTD staff said a project manager would be available for subsequent questions.
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