With more than $80 billion in projected industry construction projects and thousands of workers herding to Louisiana over the next few years, officials say it is time to start planning how to handle all of the growth that will occur in the state.
Elizabeth “Boo” Thomas, president and CEO of the Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX) in Baton Rouge, La., said Louisiana could see major problems in the areas of transportation and housing as a result of the incoming work force.
“We already have a transportation problem in Louisiana and have a huge deficit for roadways and bridges that need to be improved, built or funded,” she said. “Now with all of these upcoming projects, expansions and additional people, you are going to put a huge stressor on Louisiana’s roadways. We as a state need to look at the existing roadways and figure out how we provide the adequate infrastructure to ensure access to all of the available jobs.”
Much of the industrial work is happening in the Baton Rouge to New Orleans Mississippi River corridor and the Lake Charles area. In Lake Charles, it is estimated the construction manpower needs will rise from around 7,000 to 14,000 in 2014. In Baton Rouge, the demand for construction workers in the region will jump from 17,500 to 31,000 in 2014, and New Orleans is projected to add about 11,000 jobs a year. Overall, according to reports, Louisiana will need nearly 78,000 new workers each year through 2020 to fill all the jobs that are expected to be available.
“The big concern I have is where we will find the workers,” Thomas said. “Also, a major part of planning for this impending industry boom is figuring out where these workers are going to live. You have to look at land use and where you’re going to put the residential and temporary housing developments. Also, what will be the effects on com-munities once the construction is complete? How are you going to ramp up housing efforts because of this boom but not have a huge vacuum when it’s ended?”
Solutions to the housing problem have already been underway in Louisiana. For example, one company, Greenfield Logistics Solutions, is planning to build a $70 million “man camp” on 200 acres leased from the Port of Lake Charles. This will provide temporary dorm-type housing for 4,000 workers. It will also provide parking, transportation, eating facilities, recreational activities, laundering services, carded entry and security services.
CPEX recently held the Louisiana Smart Growth Summit where it identified leaders from other states that are undergoing major industry expansions such as North Dakota, Arkansas, Texas and Pennsylvania. CPEX can serve as a reference for the industry providing research and planning approaches in order to preserve and enhance Louisiana’s communities.
“I think we will get phone calls to monitor communities affected by this industry boom,” Thomas said. “CPEX is starting to become more involved with this industry boom and the work force influx. I think you need a neutral third party that is doing the research in helping to prepare everyone.”
Thomas also said she is impressed with how the state’s elected officials are beginning to understand the huge effects of Louisiana’s industrial boom.
“Our elected officials have learned a lot through the recent major events that have occurred like natural disasters, which have moved thousands of people around,” Thomas said. “We’ve learned the lack of planning and predicting has affected our communities in ways we’ve never dreamed possible.
“The petrochemical, chemical and work force boom will create a paradigm shift in the way our communities grow and it’s going to affect the culture we believe is so special in Louisiana,” she said. “How can we protect what we already have but encourage investment and expansion? I think all of this expansion and influx of workers will have a positive impact on Louisiana — if we plan correctly.”
For more information about CPEX, visit http://cpex.org or call (225) 267-6300.
To read more about news and developments involving Louisiana’s work force influx, visit BICMagazine.com.
