Miles SmithThe Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development recently released a strategic improvement plan aimed at addressing issues with the agency’s funding, efficiency and communication.
The DOTD stated that the 44-page plan is based on recommendations from a transition council appointed by Gov. Jeff Landry and from a Boston Consulting Group assessment commissioned by the agency in 2024.
The study found that only 26% of capital improvement projects in FY 2023, which were set to receive $1.8 billion through the state’s Highway Priority Program, actually received funding.
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“For routine preservation projects, typically managed at headquarters, there is a perception of a lack of visibility at the district level around how projects are prioritized and advanced through the pipeline, limiting districts’ ability to align timelines with local priorities and respond to inquiries from local stakeholder,” the study said in its intro. “There may thus be an opportunity to expand the role of districts in managing and executing these types of projects.”
The assessment said other obstacles to success for the agency have included:
- Insufficient state revenue sources being devoted to the DOTD. 52% of DOTD’s budget stems from state sources, compared to an average of 63% for peer states. The Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) is the primary source of state revenue, funded largely by the state fuel tax, which has remained stagnant since 1990 and has faced downward pressure from rising fuel efficiency and electric vehicle (EV) usage.
- A lack of consistent or systematic ranking of projects and limited transparency both internally and externally regarding the prioritization of projects, causing frustration for DOTD personnel, legislators and the public.
- A limited meaningful tracking of key performance indicators across the organization.
- High staff turnover.
Joe Donahue, Secretary of Louisiana DOTD, said the goals outlined in the plan include delivering projects on time, boosting statewide economic development, fostering a culture of accountability and maintaining open, honest communication with all stakeholders.
The strategic plan also highlights steps that have already been taken to address key areas of concern.
“Improvement is an ongoing process, and I believe that Louisiana DOTD has made real strides over the last year in becoming more transparent and rebuilding public trust,” Donahue said.
Photo courtesy formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
