BATON ROUGE - Gov. John Bel Edwards and state traffic officials with LA DOTD announced the formation of the Governor’s Task Force on Transportation Infrastructure Investment on Friday.

The Governor signed an executive order this week, officially creating the task force.

“For years, the Transportation Trust Fund has been raided to pay for other priorities, leaving a $12 billion backlog in critical infrastructure projects,” said Gov. Edwards. “Those days are over. It’s time we start reinvesting in our roads, bridges, and ports, and by re-engaging our federal partners, we’re going to do everything we can to improve infrastructure across Louisiana. I look forward to working with this task force to identify priority projects in every region of our state.”

The task force’s duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:

-Research, identify, and make specific actionable recommendations for achieving sufficient increased levels of recurring funding to address the transportation backlog in highway and bridge maintenance needs in Louisiana.

-Research, identify, and make specific actionable recommendations to be introduced in 2017 to fund a robust, multimodal construction program to address immediate needs that preserve the state’s investments in infrastructure and build “megaprojects” included in the Louisiana Statewide Transportation Plan, Priority A and Priority B.

"I am honored and eager to serve as co-chair of the Governor's Task Force on Transportation Infrastructure Investment," said DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson. I am looking forward to working collaboratively with a team of leaders who represent the many regions and sectors from across the state. Over the next six months, the Task Force will craft a plan for Louisiana to meet its full potential as a leader in multimodal transportation. With sound and sustainable policy, DOTD can and will deliver a transportation system the people of Louisiana deserve."