Will the Interstate 210 bridge work be done as they do in Texas — with an early completion bonus, 24-hour work and a penalty for not meeting the schedule?

“The terms of the construction proposal for the Prien Lake (I-210) redeck project have not been finalized at the time of this writing,” Don Duberville, district engineer administrator for the state Department of Transportation and Development, wrote Wednesday in email.

“Often large projects such as Prien Lake use the A+B bidding process, whereby contractors competitively bid both the construction time and the contract price, yielding the best overall value.”

Duberville said contractors set the work schedules. He said DOTD contracts contain provisions on late completion.

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For more information visit, www.dotd.la.gov.

CPSB: Powder used  in color run safe

Is the colored dust they used at S.J. Welsh safe for children to inhale? The teacher in the photo in the Feb. 3 paper had a mask on. What steps did the school take to ensure the safety of the students involved?

“The colored dust used at S.J. Welsh is safe to inhale,” Calcasieu Parish School Board spokeswoman Holly Holland wrote in an email.

“It’s made with high-quality cornstarch and food dyes. Parents were provided with a permission slip and a list of FAQs prior to students participating in the run.”

She provided The Informer a copy of the list of frequently asked questions. Among them:

Is Color Powder Safe?

Safety is our main priority! Our colors are made with high quality cornstarch and food dyes. All materials are 100% FD&C and/or D&C grade and approved by the US FDA.

How do I protect my eyes and/or airways during the run?

Our color throwers (parent volunteers and teachers) will do their best to throw the powder at the torso and aim low as students pass by. Students can bring swim goggles or sunglasses to protect their eye. Participants can bring dust masks from home to cover their nose and mouth, if desired.

The question on safety, along with its reply — incidentally, “FD&C” refers to food, drugs and cosmetics — appears to originate with an FAQ list offered by Color Blaze Supply, a powder provider.

Television news teams in Kansas and Tennessee have in recent years sent color run powder, including samples from Color Blaze Supply, to be tested by a lab.

According to the Kansas station’s report, posted online in May 2016, researchers found “50 to 150 chemicals in each of the samples” — including “carcinogens, solvents, endocrine disruptors, and heavy metals like chromium, copper, and lead.”

The station identified samples from the provider Color Run as containing the most chemicals.

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The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.