The state transportation department plans to pick a location for a new Mississippi River Bridge in the Baton Rouge area by the end of this year. DOTD Secretary Glenn Ledet says they are looking at three different locations south of Baton Rouge in Iberville Parish. He says they are currently looking at environmental impacts.
“We’ll look at that preliminary design, see if there are any adjustments that can be made to minimize those impacts or avoid those impacts, before we go into that final evaluation in that final selected alternative,” Ledet explained.
Ledet says they are also taking public input and held two public meetings last week on both sides of the river, one in Plaquemine and the other in St. Gabriel. He says DOTD expects to present the final preferred bridge location as part of an environmental assessment by December.
“We’ll evaluate those alternatives, and that will allow us to identify the preferred alternative and then evaluate the impact of that preferred alternative before we prepare a drafted environmental assessment,” Ledet said.
Ledet says $400 million in funding has already been secured to build the bridge. But the total price tag is around $2 billion, and Ledet says they are examining other funding sources.
“We’re looking at additional public funds, both on the state, federal and local side, as well as evaluating any potential for private revenue, like a toll,” Ledet said.
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