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                                                        OMB APPROVAL
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                                              OMB Number:             3235-0145
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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13G
                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                 Amendment No. 3


                            Lamar Advertising Company
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)


                     Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                    512815101
                  --------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)


                                December 31, 2005
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)


Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

[X] Rule 13d-1(b)

[_] Rule 13d-1(c)

[_] Rule 13d-1(d)


*The  remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting  person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any  subsequent  amendment  containing  information  which  would  alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.


The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise  subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but  shall be  subject  to all other  provisions  of the Act  (however,  see the
Notes).



Persons who respond to the collection of information  contained in this form are
not required to respond  unless the form displays a currently  valid OMB control
number.

SEC 1745 (1-06)            

                                Page 1 of 6 pages



-----------------------
  CUSIP No. 512815101                   13G
-----------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1.   Name of Reporting Person
      I.R.S. Identification No. of above Person

           Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2.   Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group
                                                                (a) [_]
                                                                (b) [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 3.   SEC Use Only


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 4.   Citizenship or Place of Organization

           Delaware

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     5.   Sole Voting Power

     Number of                 7,608,036

      Shares        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     6.   Shared Voting Power
   Beneficially
                               0
     Owned by
                    ----------------------------------------------------------
       Each          7.   Sole Dispositive Power

    Reporting                  8,846,450

      Person        ----------------------------------------------------------
                     8.   Shared Dispositive Power
       With:
                               0

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 9.   Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

           8,846,450

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares

                                                                    [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.   Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

           9.8%

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.   Type of Reporting Person

           IA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                               Page 2 of 6 pages


Item 4.            Ownership. *

          (a).     Amount beneficially owned:
                   See the response(s) to Item  9 on the attached cover page(s).

          (b).     Percent of Class:
                   See the response(s) to Item 11 on the attached cover page(s).

          (c).     Number of shares as to which such person has:

                   (i).     Sole power to  vote or to direct  the vote:  See the
                            response(s) to Item 5 on the attached cover page(s).

                   (ii).    Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:  See the
                            response(s) to Item 6 on the attached cover page(s).

                   (iii).   Sole power to  dispose or to direct  the disposition
                            of:  See the response(s) to  Item 7  on the attached
                            cover page(s).

                   (iv).    Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition
                            of:  See the response(s) to  Item 8  on the attached
                            cover page(s).

Item 10.           Certification.
                   By signing  below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge
                   and belief,  the  securities  referred to above were acquired
                   and are held in the ordinary  course of business and were not
                   acquired  and are not  held  for the  purpose  of or with the
                   effect of changing or  influencing  the control of the issuer
                   of the  securities  and were not acquired and are not held in
                   connection with or as a participant in any transaction having
                   that purpose or effect.


--------------------------
     (*) In accordance with Securities and Exchange  Commission  ("SEC") Release
No.   34-39538   (January  12,  1998),   this  filing  reflects  the  securities
beneficially owned by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. ("GSAM LP"). GSAM LP,
an investment advisor, disclaims beneficial ownership of any securities managed,
on GSAM LP's behalf, by third parties.




                              Page 3 of 6 pages




                                    SIGNATURE



            After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge
            and belief,  I certify that the information set forth in
            this statement is true, complete and correct.


Date:  January 30, 2006


                                GOLDMAN SACHS ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.

                                By: /s/ Andrea Louro DeMar
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                Name:   Andrea Louro DeMar
                                Title:  Attorney-in-fact



                                Page 4 of 6 pages


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS



Exhibit No.   Exhibit
-----------   -------

99.1          Power of Attorney, dated January 24th, 2006,  relating to Goldman
              Sachs Asset Management, L.P.



                                Page 5 of 6 pages



                                                                  Exhibit (99.1)



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE  PRESENTS  that GOLDMAN  SACHS ASSET  MANAGEMENT,
L.P. (the "Company")  does hereby make,  constitute and appoint each of Roger S.
Begelman, Yvette Kosic, Andrea Louro DeMar, John M. O'Rourke, Felicia J. Rector,
Michael T. Seeley , and  Stephen  Wong,  (and any other  employee of The Goldman
Sachs Group,  Inc. or one of its affiliates  designated in writing by one of the
attorneys-in-fact),  acting  individually,  its true  and  lawful  attorney,  to
execute and  deliver in it name and on its behalf  whether the Company is acting
individually or as representative of others,  any and all filings required to be
made by the Company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, (as amended,  the
"Act"),  with respect to securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned
by  the   Company   under  the  Act,   giving  and   granting   unto  each  said
attorney-in-fact  power and authority to act in the premises as fully and to all
intents and purposes as the Company might or could do if  personally  present by
one of its authorized signatories, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorney-in-fact shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY  shall  remain in full force and effect until either
revoked  in  writing  by the  undersigned  or until  such time as the  person or
persons to whom power of  attorney  has been  hereby  granted  cease(s) to be an
employee of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. or one of its affiliates.

     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the undersigned has duly subscribed these presents as
of January 24, 2006.


GOLDMAN SACHS ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.


By:/s/ Howard Surloff
----------------------------
Name:  Howard Surloff
Title: Managing Director





                                 Page 6 of 6 pages