The state Department of Transportation and Development is ready to get the go-ahead for a new, tolled Calcasieu River-Interstate 10 bridge. State Rep. Les Farnum, R-Sulphur, wants to slow the roll.

DOTD Secretary Eric Kalivoda sent a letter to the senate and house chairmen of the Committees on Transportation, Highways, and Public Works Monday to request approval to execute the public-private partnership (P3) contract with Calcasieu Bridge Partners to replace the 70-year-old, narrow, shoulderless, steep-on-approach structure. His letter explains, “If a replacement project is not undertaken soon, a major, and likely very expensive, repair project will be necessary to keep the bridge in service.”

Kalivoda said failure to grant the go-ahead could result in the major repair of the existing bridge and its continuation in service for at least another 20 years.         

Farnum said he has reached out to the committee chair on the house side, and found out that the date of the committee meeting will likely be Monday or Tuesday of next week. He hasn’t changed his stance.

“I don’t think we should move forward with a toll bridge,” Farnum said. “It’s never been investigated what a non-tolled bridge will cost. We have no idea if we can afford one when we didn’t get a price for it.”

There was a point when it was discussed that locals would not have to pay a toll, but it’s hard to tell exactly what the contract spells out. A few legislators were only recently allowed to visit the DOTD office to take a look at it.

Farnum said the DOTD would not send state Attorney General Jeff Landry a copy of the contract to review.

“That’s troublesome for me,” Farnum said, as he is our state’s attorney. “He should be allowed to review the contract, just like DOTD was allowed to review the contract.”

The legislators who did travel to the DOTD office to see the contract were able to review some of the estimated and hard numbers that have not been released to the public and will not be released. To view the contract, the legislators had to promise not to discuss the figures.

“I don’t want to move forward with something we are not allowed to scrutinize,” Farnum said. “I don’t believe it is in the best interest of any citizen of the United States, much less in Calcasieu Parish. It’s the state and federal government’s responsibility to replace that bridge without an extra tax burden on the citizens. Toll is just another word for tax. The whole thing is just wrong on so many levels.”