After 30 years of roadwork, Louisiana 15 will finally be completely four-laned this year.

Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development construction engineer Ken Free said Wednesday the section of Louisiana 15, from Foules to Clayton and a new bridge at Clayton would be completed this fall.

With this 8.5-mile section of Louisiana 15 completed, there will be a continuous four-lane highway from U.S. 20 in Rayville to Natchez.

Free said the complete four-laning of Louisiana 15 would increase traffic and spur economic development at towns along the route.

“(Completion of Louisiana 15) brings to completion years of planning, design and construction so we’re very elated about its completion,” Free said.

LDOT is in the process of completing the base work on the stretch of highway and the placing girders on the bridge at Clayton, Free said.

The total cost of the section of Louisiana 15 and the bridge is $15.7 million.

Towns along the highway include Winnsboro, Wisner, Clayton and Ferriday.

Ferriday Mayor Gene Allen said with the completion of Louisiana 15 the town would be able to handle the flow of traffic safely from rural areas like Ferriday to metropolitan areas like Monroe.

“It would certainly help the trucking industry and make transport more accessible because we don’t have the river or the railroad anymore,” Allen said.