FERRIDAY — District 32 Senator Neil Riser said Tuesday the four-laning of U.S. 84 is critical and should be a priority.

Riser was the featured speaker at the Ferriday Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting. During his speech he discussed upcoming, ongoing and past legislative projects with which he is involved.

It appears that the state will have a surplus this year, and Riser said he hopes that the local legislative representation will be able to secure more funding to four-lane U.S. 84.

“Every piece we get committed to it, it gets harder for the state not to finish it,” he said.

Because U.S. 84 ties into Louisiana 28, which goes into Leesville, where Fort Polk is located, having U.S. 84 four-laned will likely increase traffic through the area, Riser said.

Though there has been some talk of a budget deficit for the fiscal year, the state’s constitution doesn’t currently allow for surplus funds to be spent on the budget.

“I think that is to keep the administration of legislature from coming in and setting the budget and just seeding it and then abusing the surplus,” Riser said.

But Riser said he thinks it may be premature to talk about deficits yet.

Where officials are talking about deficits is related to state-held oil leases, and the budget was set for oil prices to be in the mid-$80 range, he said.

“Even though oil is low now, when you look at the $150 a barrel prices earlier in the year, I think it will even out,” he said.

Riser serves on the Homeland Security committee, and he said that after a recent meeting with the U.S. Corps of Engineers, the recent flooding associated with Hurricane Gustav was considered to be a 500- year flood.

The flooding was caused because the parish’s main drainage artery, Cocodrie Bayou, has become congested over the years.

The bayou is designated a scenic river, and Riser said he is working with others to get permission to have the federally protected body of water dredged to clear it for better drainage.

Riser took office in the Senate in January.