Louisiana will receive $60 million in taxpayer money from the federal government for highway projects in the state. The news releases on the money mention mainly projects in the Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Lafayette areas.

What about the Calcasieu river bridge over I-10 in Lake Charles? So far no word about that critically needed proposed project to replace the aging, 67-year-old bridge. Construction on the bridge began in 1949 and it was opened in 1952. It sometimes seems like Southwest Louisiana is the last area of the state to receive consideration for highway money.

For example, look how long it has taken to four-lane U.S. 171 between Lake Charles and Shreveport — decades.

Our area has one of the most important deep water ports on the Gulf Coast. The area is a petrochemical powerhouse vital to the entire nation. We have many new major projects coming into Imperial Calcasieu. This region takes a back seat to no other part of the state in its importance to Louisiana’s economy.

Southwest Louisiana representatives need to make sure that our area of the state gets its fair share of this windfall. This is money being furnished by all taxpayers, including Southwest Louisiana taxpayers, and this area of the state should receive its rightful share.

The Advocate reported the federal grant dollars will be used to complete a widening and improvement project for a 15-mile stretch of road between Interstate 10-Interstate 49 interchange and the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge.

The Times-Picayune reported that some of the money will go to advancing the design of a reconstructed interchange at Loyola Avenue for the Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans. It was also reported that some of the money will be used for improvements to railroad crossings on the freight-rail corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, advancing the design of the Interstate 20-Interstate 220 interchange into Barksdale Air Force Base and construction of a new off ramp on Baton Rouge’s Washington Street.

While all of this new construction and attention to the transportation needs of Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Lafayette are all well and good, Southwest Louisiana has a lot going on also and we are a part of this state as well, with serious transportation needs.

Supposedly this “federal money” will free up other transportation money for the entire state. Let us hope so, but our area representatives should be pressing state authorities hard to make sure our projects are not ignored or delayed any further.

Based on 2015 data from the Federal Highway Administration, 1,838 of Louisiana’s 13,012 bridges, or 14 percent are flawed. The needs are great and we need to make sure the limited money available is spent wisely and fairly.