The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced last week that the Columbia Port Commission has been selected to receive $10.5 million in federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The port is located in Columbia (Caldwell Parish) and has been an ongoing project for a couple of years. This funding will be allocated to the Grant Ouachita River & La. Hwy 165 Multimodal Connectivity and Safety Project in Caldwell Parish. This project will include the acquisition of land and the construction of a stateof- the-art Truck Parking Facility at the Port of Columbia, Ouachita River and LA 165.
This facility will include surface parking for approximately 50 commercial trucks, 100 cars and 12 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. “Our ports are a critical part of our economic system in the state, and also provides support for some of the most critical freight movements in the country,” said Renee Lapeyrolerie, DOTD Commissioner of Multimodal Commerce. “Approximately 33% of freight that comes through Louisiana travels by water, and this grant will enhance our port program.”
The Columbia Port Commission was excited about the announcement and what it means to the future of the Caldwell Parish port and surrounding parishes. “We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the numerous individuals, companies, and agencies who played pivotal roles in the preparation of the grant application,” said Greg Richardson, Port Director Columbia Port Commission. “Specifically, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the LaDOTD for their invaluable support, whose diverse subject matter expertise guided us throughout the application process. We would also like to express our appreciation for the unwavering support we received from our state and federally elected officials throughout this process. Their steadfast commitment and tireless advocacy played a pivotal role in enhancing the strengths of our application and securing this grant award.” This project is anticipated to begin late 2023 and will be completed in early 2027, weather permitting.