The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development recently mapped out how it aims to use a $640,000 Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development or BUILD grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation to detect peak demand for commercial truck parking statewide.
[Above photo by the Louisiana DOTD]
The agency noted that more than 331 million tons of freight valued at over $392 billion moved across Louisiana in 2021, much of it traveling along the I-10 and I-12 corridors via trucks, and that keeping that freight moving safely is essential to the state’s economy and to the supply chains Americans rely on every day.
“Truck drivers are essential to our economy and everyday lives. They deliver the food on our shelves, the supplies our businesses need and the products families depend on,” noted Glenn Ledet, Louisiana DOTD secretary, in a statement.
“When those drivers can’t find a safe place to stop, it creates real safety concerns on our highways,” he added. “This grant gives Louisiana the opportunity to improve safety, strengthen our freight network and better serve everyone who travels our roads.”
[Editor’s note: Other state departments of transportation are making similar investments in different parts of the country, including Florida and Missouri.]
Louisiana DOTD expects to use this BUILD grant to identify where truck parking demand is greatest along I-10 and I-12; evaluate opportunities to expand parking at publicly owned sites where improvements can be made efficiently and cost-effectively; and ultimately position Louisiana to compete for future federal funding dedicated to expanding truck parking options.
The agency noted that, between 2023 and 2025, the Louisiana State Police investigated 430 crashes involving parked commercial motor vehicles on or near state roadways. More than half resulted in injuries and 18 were fatal, Louisiana DOTD said.
During commercial vehicle inspections conducted in 2025, Louisiana State Police troopers documented nearly 1,500 violations involving trucks parked illegally on interstate shoulders and access ramps, along with more than 12,000 violations for failing to activate hazard flashers or place required warning devices, the agency noted.
Behind those numbers is a simple infrastructure challenge, Louisiana DOTD said: There are more trucks that need a safe place to stop than there are spaces available.
In fact, according to research by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, there is roughly just one designated truck parking space available for every 11 commercial drivers on a national basis.
While it may seem like a problem exclusively for the trucking industry, Louisiana DOTD explained the parking shortage impacts everyone on the road as trucks parked along shoulders and ramps reduce visibility, complicate emergency response, increase crash risks, and contribute to disruptions along already busy freight corridors.
“This grant is a step toward addressing that challenge with a clear goal: safer roads, more reliable freight movement and a better transportation system for the future,” Ledet noted.
“This is an important project that will keep shoulders clear for emergencies, improve visibility for all drivers and reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes in this busy corridor,” added Lisa Freeman, executive director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission. “This grant [will help] improve safety for travelers and our commercial motor vehicle partners.”
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