Louisiana Directs Over $3.5 Billion Toward Rural Broadband, Roads and Health Care
BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry joined ConnectLA, the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction and the Louisiana Department of Health in advancing a package of rural investments totaling more than $3.5 billion across broadband, transportation and health care, according to the governor's office and Louisiana public broadcaster KEDM, in an announcement dated October 12.
On broadband, ConnectLA is deploying more than $1.53 billion in federal funding through its GUMBO program to close the digital divide, with projected consumer savings of about $400 million for families over the next four years. ConnectLA Executive Director Veneeth Iyengar said the state expects about 95 percent of Louisiana residents to have access to reliable internet service by the end of 2026.
On transportation, the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction is advancing a $580 million infrastructure effort, with 152 road and bridge projects currently underway across the state. Its executive director, Archie Chaisson III, said the transportation improvements are connecting communities and supporting economic growth statewide.
On health care, the Department of Health's Rural Health Transformation Program is a multi-year, $1.4 billion initiative serving about 1.1 million rural residents, aimed at improving access, quality and sustainability across rural health systems. Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein said the program is focused on long-term improvements to care delivery and the health workforce.
Landry said rural Louisiana helped build the country for generations, and that the state wants young people to be able to earn a good living and raise families in the communities that raised them. State Representative Rhonda Gaye Butler said that when the state invests in rural Louisiana, the entire state benefits.
Published reporting notes that the $3.5 billion total combines several programs on different timelines, including major federal awards; some projects are already under construction, while others will unfold over several years.
(Sources: Office of Louisiana Governor and ConnectLA announcement, Oct. 12, 2026; KEDM and Louisiana First News, Oct. 13, 2026)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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