Recommendations
As a result of their extensive research, the I-10 Bridge Task Force initially recommended in January of 2019 that the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge can only be replaced in a reasonable period of time through an innovative public private partnership called a “P3,” which involves tolling.
Since the recommendations were released, state and federal funding, which was not a possibility before, have the potential to be secured, and the state has approved a public-private partnership for the bridge construction. The Task Force is continuing to explore and pursue all funding possibilities.
The recommendation for the bridge’s design calls for a new six-lane bridge with shoulders and a pedestrian walkway, located immediately north of, and parallel to, the existing bridge, with ingress and egress at Sampson Street over the railway into the City of Westlake. The current bridge would remain open while construction of the new bridge takes place and tolls would be reduced for local residents.
The I-10 Bridge Task Force recommends that local contractors and vendors be given priority for service to the private venture, if this option for construction is chosen.
The I-10 Task Force based their recommendation upon the following facts:
- LA DOTD has pledged its federal match dollars for the next 12 years to projects in more populated areas (New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport).
- LA DOTD’s proposed bridge replacement alternatives are estimated to cost $800M in 2018 dollars and do not include ingress and egress at Sampson Street over the railway into the City of Westlake.
- Value engineering alternatives discovered by the I-10 Bridge Task Force reduce the cost to $400-$600M and these do include ingress and egress at Sampson Street over the railway into the City of Westlake.
- LA DOTD’s annual statewide maintenance and capital improvements budget is $650-$800M.
- LA DOTD’s current infrastructure backlog is more than $13B.
- LA DOTD has stated that the State is eligible for participation in the TIFIA federal loan program that is critical to other state’s infrastructure replacement programs but,
- has acknowledged that it was out of compliance with its LA1 TIFIA loan, because it could not meet the debt payments with toll revenue, and
- confirmed on August 24, 2018, that the State will have trouble securing another TIFIA loan for the Calcasieu River Bridge.
- The Task Force will consider any new information LA DOTD may provide federal loan options.
- LA DOTD’s response to the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request indicates environmental contamination is not a cause for delay
- LA DOTD’s traditional delivery is not a viable option
- Proposed gas tax will not generate sufficient funds to replace bridge
- LA DOTD’s response to the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request indicates that the 1994 EDC spill contamination is not a cause for delay.
- LA DOTD’s traditional method of delivering mega infrastructure improvements is not a viable option, because the state does not have the funds to secure federal match dollars and will not have the funds in the foreseeable future.
- The proposed gas tax increase will not generate sufficient funds to replace the bridge.
Tolling Could Make a New Bridge a Reality
If total funding from the federal and state government is unavailable, tolling is a viable option for funding part or all of the costs of a new bridge.
Tolling is often used in P3 projects to help the private partner support ongoing operations and maintenance to improve and ensure the flow of traffic and support the goal of congestion mitigation. A P3 delivers innovation, efficiencies and design excellence. Forming a P3 will allow LADOTD to use private sector technical, managerial, and financial resources to build the new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge and achieve-long term objectives like increasing capacity and facilitating free flowing traffic. The builder would have to be repaid with the use of electronic tolling like we see in Houston and many other cities across the country. Tolling provides funds to make costly improvements to the regional transportation infrastructure efficiently. Tolling is a proven, common sense solution for the I-10 bridge project.
If tolling is put in place on a new I-10 bridge, it will be all-electronic tolling—allowing drivers to travel safely and efficiently without stopping at a toll booth. Electronic toll gantries will span the roadway and pick up signals from transponders or take photos of the license plate to collect the toll.
Task Force research has shown that thru-transit traffic will pay the majority of toll fees. Transit traffic does not typically choose an alternative non-toll route. The I-210 Bridge will remain toll-free.
Recommendations
As a result of their extensive research, the I-10 Bridge Task Force initially recommended in January of 2019 that the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge can only be replaced in a reasonable period of time through an innovative public private partnership called a “P3,” which involves tolling.
Since the recommendations were released, state and federal funding, which was not a possibility before, have the potential to be secured, and the state has approved a public-private partnership for the bridge construction. The Task Force is continuing to explore and pursue all funding possibilities.
The recommendation for the bridge’s design calls for a new six-lane bridge with shoulders and a pedestrian walkway, located immediately north of, and parallel to, the existing bridge, with ingress and egress at Sampson Street over the railway into the City of Westlake. The current bridge would remain open while construction of the new bridge takes place and tolls would be reduced for local residents.
The I-10 Bridge Task Force recommends that local contractors and vendors be given priority for service to the private venture, if this option for construction is chosen.
The I-10 Task Force based their recommendation upon the following facts:
- LA DOTD has pledged its federal match dollars for the next 12 years to projects in more populated areas (New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport).
- LA DOTD’s proposed bridge replacement alternatives are estimated to cost $800M in 2018 dollars and do not include ingress and egress at Sampson Street over the railway into the City of Westlake.
- Value engineering alternatives discovered by the I-10 Bridge Task Force reduce the cost to $400-$600M and these do include ingress and egress at Sampson Street over the railway into the City of Westlake.
- LA DOTD’s annual statewide maintenance and capital improvements budget is $650-$800M.
- LA DOTD’s current infrastructure backlog is more than $13B.
- LA DOTD has stated that the State is eligible for participation in the TIFIA federal loan program that is critical to other state’s infrastructure replacement programs but,
- has acknowledged that it was out of compliance with its LA1 TIFIA loan, because it could not meet the debt payments with toll revenue, and
- confirmed on August 24, 2018, that the State will have trouble securing another TIFIA loan for the Calcasieu River Bridge.
- The Task Force will consider any new information LA DOTD may provide federal loan options.
- LA DOTD’s response to the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request indicates environmental contamination is not a cause for delay
- LA DOTD’s traditional delivery is not a viable option
- Proposed gas tax will not generate sufficient funds to replace bridge
- LA DOTD’s response to the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request indicates that the 1994 EDC spill contamination is not a cause for delay.
- LA DOTD’s traditional method of delivering mega infrastructure improvements is not a viable option, because the state does not have the funds to secure federal match dollars and will not have the funds in the foreseeable future.
- The proposed gas tax increase will not generate sufficient funds to replace the bridge.
Tolling Could Make a New Bridge a Reality
If total funding from the federal and state government is unavailable, tolling is a viable option for funding part or all of the costs of a new bridge.
Tolling is often used in P3 projects to help the private partner support ongoing operations and maintenance to improve and ensure the flow of traffic and support the goal of congestion mitigation. A P3 delivers innovation, efficiencies and design excellence. Forming a P3 will allow LADOTD to use private sector technical, managerial, and financial resources to build the new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge and achieve-long term objectives like increasing capacity and facilitating free flowing traffic. The builder would have to be repaid with the use of electronic tolling like we see in Houston and many other cities across the country. Tolling provides funds to make costly improvements to the regional transportation infrastructure efficiently. Tolling is a proven, common sense solution for the I-10 bridge project.
If tolling is put in place on a new I-10 bridge, it will be all-electronic tolling—allowing drivers to travel safely and efficiently without stopping at a toll booth. Electronic toll gantries will span the roadway and pick up signals from transponders or take photos of the license plate to collect the toll.
Task Force research has shown that thru-transit traffic will pay the majority of toll fees. Transit traffic does not typically choose an alternative non-toll route. The I-210 Bridge will remain toll-free.
Recommendations
As a result of their extensive research, the I-10 Bridge Task Force recommends that the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge can only be replaced in a reasonable period of time through an innovative public private partnership called a “P3.”
The recommendation for bridge’s design calls for a new six-lane bridge with shoulders and a pedestrian walkway, located immediately north of, and parallel to, the existing bridge, with ingress and egress at Sampson Street over the railway into the City of Westlake. The current bridge would remain open while construction of the new bridge takes place and tolls would be reduced for local residents.
The I-10 Task Force based their recommendation upon the following facts:
- LADOTD has pledged its federal match dollars for the next 12 years to projects in more populated areas (New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport).
- LADOTD’s proposed bridge replacement alternatives are estimated to cost $800M in 2018 dollars and do not include ingress and egress at Sampson Street over the railway into the City of Westlake.
- Value engineering alternatives discovered by the I-10 Bridge Task Force reduce the cost to $400-$600M and these do include ingress and egress at Sampson Street over the railway into the City of Westlake.
- LADOTD’s annual statewide maintenance and capital improvements budget is $650-$800M.
- LADOTD’s current infrastructure backlog is more than $13B.
- LA DOTD has stated that the State is eligible for participation in the TIFIA federal loan program that is critical to other state’s infrastructure replacement programs but,
- has acknowledged that it was out of compliance with its LA1 TIFIA loan because it could not meet the debt payments with toll revenue, and
- confirmed on August 24, 2018, that the State will have trouble securing another TIFIA loan for the Calcasieu River Bridge.
- LA DOTD’s response to FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request indicates environmental contamination is not a cause for delay
- LA DOTD’s traditional delivery is not a viable option
- Proposed gas tax will not generate sufficient funds to replace bridge
- LADOTD’s response to the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request indicates that the 1994 EDC spill contamination is not a cause for delay.
- LADOTD’s traditional method of delivering mega infrastructure improvements is not a viable option because the state does not have the funds to secure federal match dollars and will not have the funds in the foreseeable future.
- The proposed gas tax increase will not generate sufficient funds to replace the bridge.