Here's the latest in the Jimmie Davis Bridge debacle for Shreveport-Bossier

The removal of $140 million for a new Jimmie Davis Bridge connecting Shreveport and Bossier won't delay the start of construction, but the funding will have to be replaced next year to avoid crashing the project, Gov. John Bel Edwards' chief financial officer said Monday.

"There's sufficient money for the project to start," Edwards' Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne told USA Today Network. "It will need to be replaced going forward by the next administration and Legislature, but my expectation is that will happen next year.

The state actually already awarded the $361 million, five-year Jimmie Davis Bridge project to James Construction earlier this year.

"The state will honor the contract," Dardenne said. "It's a serious removal of funding that was counted on, but it's not fatal to the project."

A handful of lawmakers pulled the funding from the state's annual construction bill (House Bill 2) in the final chaotic minutes of the Legislative Session as likely retaliation against Shreveport-Bossier lawmakers in the House who voted against raising the state's spending limit so the Legislature could appropriate surplus dollars to infrastructure projects and pay down debt.

Those Shreveport-Bossier House members who voted against Senate Concurrent Resolution 3 to raise the spending limit included Reps. Dodie Horton of Bossier, Raymond Crews of Shreveport and Alan Seabaugh of Shreveport, all Republicans.

But the bridge is actually in the House district of Shreveport Republican Rep. Thomas Pressly, who did vote to raise the expenditure limit, and Shreveport Republican Barrow Peacock's Senate district, who also voted in favor of the extra spending, even though Horton was listed on the project's paperwork.

Pressly said he was relieved to learn the move won't halt the project.

"I'm happy to hear the project will be able to move forward and I'm grateful to the administration and (legislative) leadership," Pressly said Monday. "It remains a top priority to me and the people of Shreveport-Bossier."

Horton fired off a blistering statement over the weekend through the House Freedom Caucus in which she blamed the removal of funding on "crooked, lying, power-hungry politicians" that are primarily in her party.

The Republicans control a supermajority in the House and Senate and controlled the conference committee in which the funding was pulled.

"The Jimmie Davis Bridge defunding fiasco reveals to our constituents just how far these corrupt politicians will go in an attempt to negatively impact my reelection campaign," Horton said in her statement. "I have never ceased to support our infrastructure which is reflected in my voting record."

More: Jimmie Davis Bridge funding gutted in likely retaliation to Shreveport-Bossier lawmakers

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Here's the latest in the Jimmie Davis bridge funding debacle