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I-69 Spurs Economic Development by senator John Breaux The idea behind the Interstate 69 Corridor and Border Crossing projects is clear -- build them,
and economic development will come. These
projects present substantial opportunities for continued economic growth. Once complete, the I-69 Corridor will traverse eight states (Arkansas, Indiana,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas) and serve nearly 16 million people. Nearly 10 percent of the total 1,900 miles of this
route travel through my home state of Louisiana. So, as you can imagine, this project is very important to me and Louisiana. But,
as a member of the Senate's Finance, and Commerce, Science and Transportation committees, I have learned that trade is an essential vehicle to drive the American economy. To sustain the economic growth we have experienced over
the past decade, the domestic and global exchange of products and resources must be encouraged. Moreover, products must get to their final destination
quickly ad efficiently. I-69 meets both our trade and transportation goals. Along
the I-69 Corridor, millions people live below the poverty line. And, in six of the Corridor states, the population in poverty exceeds the U.S. average.
Studies show that 27,000 new jobs will be created along the I-69 Corridor. This creates the potential to lift thousands out of poverty, especially
in the Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi Delta regions. Also,
the I-69 Border Crossing Project will make it easier to trade with our two closest neighbors, Canada and Mexico. Currently, the I-69 Corridor has the
nation's busiest border crossings on both the Canadian and Mexican borders, and accounts for more than 60 percent of America's trade with these nations. The
expansion of I-69 represents a dramatic shift in how we view transportation in this new global economy. Highways will no longer simply be thought of as the
medium for truck drivers hauling their goods from Point A to Point B, or families visiting relatives during the holidays. Instead,
interstates will become links to "intermodal" transportation -- the future of international trade -- that integrates various transport options such as rail, ship, ground and air travel.
Twenty of the nation's top 25 seaports are directly connected to I-69, and 16 of the nation's top 25 air cargo airports are readily accessible to the highway. In
Louisiana, New Orleans and Baton Rouge are major stopping points along the Mississippi River for ships carrying cargo into the United States and points abroad. These
two cities also contain airport cargo facilities, rail terminals and major highways. In north Louisiana, the Shreveport-Bossier area contains the Red River
Waterway, rail lines and two prominent interstates. It
is highly conceivable that cargo could enter one of these cities by ship, be moved by train to a warehouse near I-69, and be loaded onto a truck for delivery to Canada. It is clear, I-69 is a key that unlocks the doors of trade in this new global economy. The
I-69 Corridor has been recognized and established by Congress, and studies are currently underway. But, there is much more to be done.
Congress must direct our attention toward working with the U.S. Department of Transportation to ensure that all available resources are being used to advance I-69. I
commend everyone who has contributed to the success of this initiative, especially members of the eight-state coalition who have worked in a coordinated manner to advance the project's funding and
construction at the state level. Rest assured of my continued federal support for this worthwhile investment in America's and Louisiana's economic future.
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