In a letter to Congress, a coalition of businesses and organizations urged lawmakers to, at a minimum, maintain investment levels before the current law expires on March 31.

The letter also calls for lawmakers to seek economic opportunities that a well-crafted measure could afford and to forge a political consensus for advancing such an effort.

The chamber has advocated funding for Interstate 49 South since 1992. The project through Lafayette and continuing south toward New Orleans has been given federal clearance, but actual construction has been delayed because of a lack of adequate funding.