Bridge in lake charles louisiana full#

Wilson said the tolls will be appropriately priced based on the actual cost to build and maintain the bridge. “There are still opportunities to lower the cost and/or the length of tolls with additional dollars within the structure of our project over the course of this.” Wilson said since costs are not finalized, it is possible that they will lower in the future. The final product and price of the tolls will be determined after the bridge’s cost proposals are drafted. Current estimations of the toll cost are based on multiple toll studies that have been conducted by the LADOTD.

Wilson stated that the price of the toll has not been finalized. 13, information stating that the toll rate will be $2.88 was distributed. It’s most important for us to get started than to get started in the most perfect way.”Īt the LADOTD and Federal Highway Administration open house public hearing on Dec. We have worked on this for over two decades. This bridge is at the end of its useful life. “This allows us to, hopefully, move forward with actually building something in such that you actually have a bridge that you are using, as opposed to having a bridge that is unacceptable.”īy making the proposed I-10 bridge a toll bridge, the LADOTD will finally be able to make headway in this decades-long project, he said. “We could wait and hope and keep our fingers crossed that money comes, but in the meantime we have not, and will not, be taking steps to build the bridge. “We would have loved to have done this without the tolls, but the reality is this project is financially not feasible any other way other than leveraging private financing,” he said. There is no way around instituting a toll on the proposed bridge, he said. “That is a very affordable and very inexpensive option for financing large transportation projects.” He confirmed that several hundred millions of dollars has been secured in private activity bonds. Those proposals will then undergo local jurisdiction review and public proposal hearings in the second quarter of FY2023. In the first quarter of FY23, the final public-private partnership proposals will be requested. “The reality is we need to get started sooner than later, and the way you do that is with private financing.” Wilson explained that the key to getting the project off the ground is to secure funding as soon as possible. Additionally, the project will receive $40 million from the Vehicle Sales Tax per year. Wilson said that is just for a portion of the project.Ĭurrently, the LADOTD has secured $550 million in funding in cash. The cost of the I-10 Bridge project currently sits at $1.5 billion, and counting.

“It will greatly benefit the state and region by providing lasting economic benefits, allowing for an increase in capacity and a vastly improved structure,” Edwards said.

Bridge in lake charles louisiana full#

The letter written to Buttigieg stated that “with this strategic investment in Southwest Louisiana’s infrastructure needs, we can unlock its full potential, benefiting the entire nation.”

Southwest Louisiana’s rank as a “global leader in energy exports” served as a primary justification for the grant. The letter cited the economic impact of the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge project, stating it “is a critical gateway point for industrial construction projects such as Sasol, Cheniere, Sabine Pass LNG, Driftwood LNG, Magnolia LNG, Cameron LNG and many others.”Įdwards described the Calcasieu River Bridge as “a key bridge on one of our main priority routes.” Congressmen Mike Johnson and Julia Letlow - submitted a letter of support of the grant to Buttigieg. On May 31, 2022, Higgins - along with Cassidy, Carter and U.S. We are building a new bridge at I-10 in Lake Charles.” “Replacement efforts are moving forward, and this Mega Grant provides the state with significant federal funding. “Since coming to Congress, my office has worked with our local, state and federal partners to build consensus and advance the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge project,” said U.S.

Legislators throughout the state have shown their support for the grant. Bill Cassidy and Congressman Troy Carter for their help in passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and their continued advocacy to improve infrastructure across Louisiana,” said Gov. “I would like to thank the Biden administration, U.S. The efforts to receive funding for the project have been collaborative.