I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge improvements public hearing Dec. 13
Published 4:58 pm Tuesday, December 6, 2022
- In this 2017 file photo, traffic flows on the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge. Construction on the bridge began in 1949. The 1.3-mile-long structure was officially named the World War II Memorial Bridge in June 1951. It opened Sept. 28, 1951, with 5,286 pairs of dueling pistol likenesses adorning the iron railing. (Rick Hickman / American Press Archives)
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and the Federal Highway Administration will host an open house public hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 13, to gather public input and comments for its Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge Improvements Project in Lake Charles and Westlake.
The Open House Public Hearing will be held at the Pryce/Miller Recreation Center, 216 Albert St., from 5-7 p.m. The Open House Public Hearing will give the public an opportunity to learn about how DOTD proposes to improve Interstate 10 (I-10) between the I-10/I-210 west and I-10/I-210 east interchanges, and also replace the outdated I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge that connects the cities of Lake Charles and Westlake.
The public can visit the nine exhibit stations at the Open House Public Hearing and ask questions of the Project Team members about the replacement bridge, engineering concepts, real estate issues, and environmental effects. Attendees can also view a video presentation on what is involved in the environmental impact statement process and why it is important to the project and to the public.
“In my 17 years at the department, the size and scope of this project is quite possibly the most challenging in the state of Louisiana,” DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson said. “Those challenges aren’t just with designing and building the bridge, but also navigating numerous other issues connected to the project. Still, the department remains dedicated to making sure this project gets delivered fully.”
Anyone interested in providing input and feedback can do so at the Open House Public Hearing. A moderated session will be held from 6:30–7:00 pm for those wishing to provide oral statements to the project team and those in attendance. The public can also submit their comments via email to CalcasieuBridge@hntb.com or call 225-368-2826 and leave a voicemail. Comments received at the public hearing or before December 23, 2022, will be included in the public hearing transcript. Public comments will be accepted after December 23 until January 3, 2023. These comments will be addressed in the final EIS and Record of Decision.
