Plaquemines Port seeks role in Peters Road Bridge consultant selection as federal grant review continues

Officials at a Transportation, Highways and Public Works meeting discussed next steps for the Peters Road Bridge project after a federal review of grant awards, and Plaquemines Port asked to participate in evaluating firms that will design a redesign of the bridge.

The discussion centered on potential delays to federal grant funds and how state money and procurement rules would affect the project. A DOTD official said the federal administration is reviewing awards and is making “certain that these are ... true road and bridge projects,” and that Peters Road Bridge qualifies as such. The official said state funds identified for right-of-way acquisition could be repurposed if federal funds are delayed.

Plaquemines Port Executive Director Charles Tillotson told the committee that the port prepared a short paragraph for a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) that would ask to give Plaquemines Port and Plaquemines Parish a seat at the table “throughout the RFP process, through evaluation process and and and selection process.” Tillotson said he would send that language to Representative Burrow and DOTD for review.

DOTD cautioned that any local participants placed on an evaluation panel must have the qualifications to evaluate engineering proposals. The department cited federal procurement law (Brooks Act) and comparable provisions of state law as constraints on evaluation-team membership but said state law does allow local preference to be a consideration in consultant selection.

Committee members discussed funding. DOTD said roughly $17,000,000 in state money is available that had been identified for right-of-way acquisition and that the RAISE grant for the project was about $7.4 million. The DOTD official said, under the current schedule, a notice to proceed (NTP) would be issued in early June, and the selected consultant’s contract would set the redesign timeline; supplemental environmental approval will be required for any change.

Committee members emphasized urgency because the bridge is needed before another project that is about 24 months from final Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval. No formal vote was taken; participants agreed to continue coordination. Tillotson said the port is willing to tweak the CEA language to address DOTD concerns.

Attendance and next steps: committee leaders recognized the presence of Plaquemines Parish representatives; Plaquemines Port will submit the CEA language to Representative Burrow and DOTD; DOTD will ensure any inclusion on the evaluation team complies with federal and state procurement rules and that qualified evaluators are used. The timeframe for redesign work will be set in negotiations with the selected consultant when work begins.