Funding has finally been approved to widen a dangerous section of Interstate 12 in Louisiana, following a horrific 18-wheeler crash that left 4 people dead over the Memorial Day weekend.
18-Wheeler Failed to Stop, Setting Off Fiery, Chain-Reaction Crash
The deadly accident transpired late in the afternoon on May 26th, just outside of Covington.
Apparently, traffic was at a stand-still in the eastbound lanes of I-12 at LA 21.
The 18-wheeler failed to stop in time for the congestion and jackknifed, triggering a fiery, chain reaction crash that involved 9 other vehicles.
A Baton Rouge woman and her son were pronounced dead at the scene, as was the truck driver. A woman from Mandeville died later at the hospital.
More than a dozen people suffered mild-to-moderate injuries.
Accidents Common Along Louisiana I-12 in St. Tammany
Evidently, the accident occurred on a narrow section of the interstate known for frequent crashes and congestion.
Shortly after the fatal crash, the St. Tammany Parish government committed $7.2 million to widen that stretch of I-12 and applied to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for additional funding.
Late last week, Senator John Kennedy (R-La) announced that DOT had approved $41 million in BUILD grants for St. Tammany Parish.
Roughly half of the funding – $25 million – will be used for the I-12 widening project.
“The widening of Interstate 12 is critical to public safety. After the Memorial Day weekend fatalities, I started working with state and local leaders to convince Secretary Chao that this funding was necessary to save lives,” Senator Kennedy said in a statement. “I want to thank St. Tammany Parish President Pat Brister and state Sen. Jack Donahue for working tirelessly with me on this project.”
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