Central Louisiana News

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy hosted his second Rural Community Funding Summit of 2024 in Shreveport, with the collaboration of Minden Mayor Nick Cox, the Louisiana Municipal Association, the Police Jury Association of Louisiana, and LITACorp. The event aimed to encourage local officials to utilize opportunities provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

"When I was negotiating the bipartisan infrastructure bill, I was thinking of mayors, police jurors and city council members gaining access to dollars to build roads, fix water and sewage issues and extend high-speed broadband throughout Northwest Louisiana," said Dr. Cassidy. "This summit completes the connection between appropriating our federal tax dollars back to our state and these community leaders learning how to use this money."

Webster Parish is set to benefit from over $17 million from the IIJA as of last summer. This includes more than $9.2 million allocated for constructing a new overpass over Louisiana Highway 531, along with other improvements near it. Additionally, enhancements will be made on Louisiana Highway 159 between Country Club Drive and Benson Road, as well as at Minden and Springhill Airports.

The summit saw participation from representatives of various federal and state agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and the Delta Regional Authority. Mayor Cox expressed gratitude towards Senator Cassidy's efforts.

"Senator Cassidy’s infrastructure bill has been enormously helpful in improving our roads and upgrading our airports, and we appreciate the chance to learn more about the opportunities in his bill to improve the services we provide to our residents," said Mayor Cox. "This is great for Minden and great for the region."