Louisiana Statewide Transportation Plan

Louisiana’s residents, businesses and visitors depend on a safe, reliable and well-maintained multimodal transportation system. Recognizing this, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) commissioned a suite of statewide plans to establish a strategic transportation blueprint for the state. A key component of this initiative, the Statewide Transportation Plan sets the vision, goals and objectives for creating a multimodal transportation system that supports Louisiana's future. The plan sets policy and identifies investments in each transportation mode, providing the state with a clear direction for investment decisions. It looks at existing conditions, future demand and critical trends impacting transportation to understand what may impact the state’s multimodal transportation system today and in the future.

Developing a Future-Forward Plan

HNTB led the development of this suite of plans including the long-range planning LRP, freight plan, rail plan and aviation plan. HNTB employed a data-driven approach that also ensured the proposed plans were stakeholder-informed. The approach included thoroughly assessing the existing conditions and performance of our multimodal network — from highways to ports to railroads to transit and active transportation. During the initial stages of the plan, HNTB evaluated the state's existing transportation and its performance. The team then forecasted the future demand for transportation based on population, employment and other economic forecasts. This allowed HNTB to assess future transportation priorities and needs across all key transportation modes. These identified needs were compared to projections of revenue available to invest in transportation. Finally, the team assessed any funding gaps from these projections and conducted investment trade-off analysis to determine the preferred transportation investment strategy.

Prioritizing Stakeholder Input

Stakeholder engagement was prioritized to ensure the resulting plans reflected the collective needs and priorities across the state. Robust outreach and stakeholder engagement initiatives included transportation partners, statewide stakeholders and the general public. to understand their needs, preferences and priorities. Effective outreach and engagement ensures the resulting plans reflect the collective needs and priorities across the state.