One project that is funded by the TIMED program is the The John James Audubon bridge, which will connect New Roads, Louisiana, with Saint Francisville, Louisiana. The project includes this 2.44-mile long cable stayed bridge and approximately 12 miles of 2-lane highway. The cost is expected to be about $350-million, and it will be complete mid-2010.
While neither of the two cities in question are large or well known, the area along the Mississippi River is heavily industrialized, and further out, there is extensive farming. The current ferry river crossing is often somewhat unreliable, with the only other option being a round-trip to Baton Rouge. It is expected that the new bridge and access roads will spur additional development in this area.
Note—renderings are from the Louisiana TIMED Program (www.audubonbridge.com), and are copyrighted by the Louisiana TIMED Managers (2006).
Update—a major milestone in the construction of the John James Audubon Bridge occurred on December 29, 2010, as the last piece of steel was erected on the main bridge span. This puts this enormous bridge well on its way towards completion.