George Swift column: Last call for a new bridge?
Published 10:15 am Tuesday, December 19, 2023
- The proposed project is a 5.5-mile corridor going from near Ryan Street in Lake Charles to the I-210 and I-10 interchange on the west side of Lake Charles. (Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development)
By George Swift
A new I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge is on life support after the LA Department of Transportation and Calcasieu Bridge Builders extended the Public Private Partnership (P3) plan until Feb. 1. Prior to this action the bid proposal expired Dec. 3. This will now give the incoming Landry Administration an opportunity to review the proposal and decide if the P-3 project will move forward.
The State of Louisiana under Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration allocated about $850 million toward the $2.1 Billion project. The remainder of the funding under the P3 proposal will be provided by Calcasieu Bridge Builders and they recoup their funds with a profit over the life of the project by collecting tolls. This is similar to a lender loaning funds for a house and making a profit by charging interest.
On Oct. 24, The Joint Transportation Committee of the Louisiana Legislature killed the plan at the urging of the Southwest Louisiana legislators with the exception of Rep.Wilford Carter. Our local delegation wrote a letter to the Joint Transportation Committee members asking that the project not move forward. Legislators around the state don’t like to oppose local legislators so they voted 8 to 6 vote to stop the P-3 project.
Of the $850 million, the state is at risk of losing $150 million from a highly competitive federal grant plus another $100 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) which must be spent by 2026. Additionally, $200-$300 million would need to be spent to “shore up” the current bridge if construction is delayed. That could result in about $500 million going down the drain.
Construction of the new bridge, Westlake overpass, and new wider lanes approaching the bridge would take about six years. During that time additional Federal grant funds could be sought to go toward the project.
Proceeds from a lawsuit from the chemical spill go toward this project mandated by legislation passed several years ago. Under the contract, additional funding can go toward paying down the tolls especially on vehicles passing thru the area and for trucks.
One suggestion is, if a toll is necessary, set up a public toll authority, where the state would operate the tolling instead of a private company. At a time when citizens want less government, this would create another bureaucracy.
Another issue with this idea is the front money. The state would have to borrow about $1 billion and that might not be feasible and probably won’t happen. Moving forward with the P3 is the only practical way to get a new bridge. There will be plenty of time during construction to seek additional funds.
We urge our SWLA legislators to work with incoming Gov. Jeff Landry to move this project forward. Otherwise, the bridge issue is going to be a constant headache for the new administration. Failure to move forward with this P-3 may also kill the new bridge in Baton Rouge due to uncertainty whether the state would ultimately approve a P-3.
Most importantly, this is a safety issue. Safety is a constant concern about the aging structure, steep incline, no turn- off lanes, and no lights. This piece of concrete is a vital link along the I-10 corridor from California to Florida and realistically, we have one more chance to make it happen.
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George Swift is president/CEO of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance. Contact him at 337-433-3632 or gswift@allianceswla.org.
