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DOTD: NEPA for MRB South bridge to begin spring 2025; public meetings moved to Q2 2025
Summary
DOTD told the Capital Area Road and Bridge District that formal NEPA for the Mississippi River Bridge South project will begin in spring 2025, triggering a 12‑month review period toward an anticipated completion in spring 2026; DOTD and Atlas will incorporate public submissions and post final technical reports to mrbsouth.com. Funding identified to date totals just under $400 million.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development said formal NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) work for the Mississippi River Bridge South project is expected to begin in spring 2025, with public meetings shifted to late second quarter 2025 and a preferred alternative selected in the third quarter of 2025.
DOTD project manager Christina Bridal, who introduced herself to the Capital Area Road and Bridge District as the project manager taking over for Paul Bhatt, told commissioners that pre‑NEPA field work (geotechnical studies, wetlands review, cultural resources fieldwork and a phase 1 site assessment) is complete or near completion and that the formal NEPA initiation has not yet started. "The NEPA field work is near completion," Bridal said, and DOTD will "comply with that 12 month time frame" newly clarified by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Why this matters: once NEPA formally begins the FHWA 12‑month clock starts; that schedule governs when statutory public hearings and agency reviews occur and when a preferred alternative is identified.
Bridal summarized identified funding for the project to date: $300,000,000 from the legislature, recurring vehicle sales‑tax allocations (noted items of $32,000,000 and $40,000,000 across specific years), $2,000,000 in P1 state general obligation bonds, $3,000,000 in P5 bonds, $6,200,000 in demonstration funds, $7,700,000 in federal formula funds and $200,000 in Transportation Trust Funds. Commissioners and staff summarized those items as amounting to just under $400,000,000 in identified funding so far.
Secretary Donahue and commissioners emphasized the federal nature of NEPA review and FHWA's role. "The determination of whether it is an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement ... is made by the federal government," Donahue said, adding the agencies are in an information‑gathering phase and that "there is no predetermined selection" of alternatives.
DOTD and the Atlas project team said submitted materials will be incorporated into the NEPA record and that finalized technical reports will be posted at mrbsouth.com as they complete review cycles. Atlas project manager Kara Maury said the project team maintains a submission log and will respond to comments during the NEPA phase.
Next steps: staff said public meetings will occur near the end of Q2 2025, a preferred alternative is expected in Q3 2025, and the FHWA‑timed NEPA process targets an approximate completion in spring 2026.
