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Council presses DOTD for firm bridge-opening and tolling date amid tolling fines discussion
Summary
Council members sought clearer information from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development about when the new bridge will open and when tolls will begin, and discussed using collected fines to offset toll costs after DOTD representatives reported the contractor has accrued millions in fines.
Council members pressed for clearer dates from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development on the opening of four-lane bridge lanes and the start of toll collection, citing constituent concerns about traffic, safety and clarity for motorists.
Council Member Champagne asked for a firm toll start date, saying uncertainty could cause last-minute route changes and congestion as motorists attempt to avoid tolls. “If we're gonna pay, we need to pay for a complete product,” Champagne said, adding that substantial completion should mean finished lights and other features.
Officials noted the DOTD schedule had shifted: the opening of all four lanes moved from March 8 to March 10, and tolling was scheduled to begin no earlier than March 13, with some outreach events and tag/toll-information dates set later in March. The council discussed a prior meeting with state officials that reported the contractor’s fines had reached about $3.5 million and could reach as much as $5 million; council members said those amounts might be applied against toll revenue or project costs.
Council Member Jurisic and others said the parish’s delegation—Senator Connick and Representative Breaux—were advocating in Baton Rouge on the parish’s behalf, and that parish officials remain in frequent contact with DOTD and the secretary’s office. Jurisic said the parish has allies at the state level and intends to continue pushing for a completed product before tolling begins.
Members asked administration staff to try to obtain a firm toll-start date to communicate to residents and to confirm that tolling will not begin prior to substantial completion of safety features such as lighting. No formal council action was recorded beyond direction to seek a confirmed date and report back to constituents.
