State Transportation extends the deadline of the public-private partnership for widening Interstate 10 and a new Calcasieu River Bridge. The project made headlines when the use of tolls to fund construction was announced.
“This agreement to extend this proposal’s validity period provides more time for further negotiations and to secure the necessary approvals. The ultimate goal is to try to advance this project,” said DOTD spokesperson John Guidroz.
The original deadline of December 3rd has been extended for 60 days. State lawmakers rejected the proposal over the $2.1 billion price tag and the burden tolls would place on motorists. A new administration will be sworn in on January 8th and Guidroz said the bridge connecting Lake Charles and Westlake is critical infrastructure.
“Not only for southwest Louisiana, the state, but the entire Interstate 10 corridor. DOTD has already invested significant resources to this point on this project and extending this didn’t cost anything,” said Guidroz.
In October, after the House Transportation Committee rejected the plan, interim State Transportation Secretary Eric Kalivoda stated DOTD would focus on rehabbing the existing bridge in the meantime. Guidroz said the deadline extension can be seen as a lifeline for the project…
“We have the opportunity to continue those discussions at no cost to the state. Why not go ahead and continue that? This doesn’t mean that this is going to happen. It’s just to see if there’s a potential path forward,” said Guidroz.
An estimated 90,000 vehicles cross the Calcasieu River Bridge daily.
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