The House Appropriations Committee, as expected, has removed the $500 million that Gov. John Bel Edwards had set aside in his proposed budget for a new Interstate 10 bridge over the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge. It has other plans for that money that sound like a grab-bag for legislators with favorite road and bridge projects.

The grab-bag is called the Revitalizing and Developing Infrastructure in all Louisiana Fund (RADIAL) that sets aside $100 million for road work statewide and the other $400 million for other work across the state.

Legislators who have opposed setting aside the $500 million insist bridge work is five years away, but the money would go a long way in funding early costs associated with a new bridge that is expected to cost as much at $2 billion.

The state has some $300 million set aside for a new Interstate 10 bridge over the Calcasieu River at Lake Charles. Shawn Wilson, secretary of the state Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), has said that has made it possible to speed up the local project.

Jay Dardenne, state commissioner of education, told the committee the $500 million represents 20 percent of the expected Baton Rouge bridge costs. When you think about that, it’s much like what we used to call layaway purchases at department stores. Pay a little along the way until you get what you are buying.

However, there is more. Dardenne said, “It will be used as a sum certain to say to the federal government, here is a local match that the state is putting up in order to secure the federal grants.”

The process planned for Baton Rouge is much like the plan currently underway for Lake Charles. Wilson is working with private firms (P3s) to help finance the work and the company gets a long-term revenue stream expected from tolls.

Dardenne said there are environmental and other issues that need to move ahead in order to get federal funding that could come from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, was a major player in getting that legislation enacted and can be a big help when it comes to getting federal funds.

Citizens in this state don’t like and don’t want tolls, but it’s tolls or no bridges. However, the more money the state puts up, the smaller the tolls. Keeping that $500 million for the bridge would be a real toll cost-cutter.

The odds of having an opportunity to get another $500 million could be a long shot, especially since a 0.45 percent state sales tax increase passed in 2018 goes off the books in 2025.

A number of organizations support the setting aside of the $500 million. They include the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC), a group called Put Louisiana First, Baton Rouge area parish political leaders and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.

Some 150,000 vehicles use the bridge every day. Anyone who travels to Baton Rouge knows about the daily traffic delays at that bridge site for those traveling east and west.

Dardenne said he thinks a majority of the members of the Legislature support setting aside the $500 million. However, when Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette; Sen. Bodi White, R-Central, and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee; and Rep. Jerome Zeringue, R-Houma, and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee; don’t believe it is a good move, lawmakers are reluctant to oppose those who have so much political power.

Sen. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge, has explained why this bridge is so vital to the state’s economy.

“This project will have a positive impact on every part of our state,” Foil said in a letter to The Advocate. “Too often we have lost economic development opportunities, primarily because traffic congestion at the bridge ranks in the Top 10 in US cities.

“Interstate 10, linked by the bridge, serves as a major artery for interstate and intrastate commerce, carrying goods to our ports, and to cities and towns in our state and across the nation.

“I-10 is also critical as an evacuation route. With every storm that targets Louisiana and our neighbors to the east and west, people rely on I-10 to evacuate. An additional route across the river will make evacuations faster and safer, and potentially save lives.”

Whenever this issue surfaces in the House, which could be today, lawmakers need to take the lead on bridge funding and help put that $500 million for the Baton Rouge bridge back in the budget.