BELLE CHASSE, La. (WVUE) - Once construction is complete on the new Belle Chasse Bridge, tolling will begin.
Some question why tolls are necessary and if it’s possible to scrap them.
As Plaquemines Parish grows, that means more traffic. Right now, some are experiencing delays because of construction, but marine traffic is also experiencing delays.
“This bridge is 73 feet at it’s tallest point and it will never have to lift for a boat to come through,” said Abbe Ginn, Public Information Officer for the Belle Chasse Bridge and Tunnel Replacement Project.
Ginn said this is the first public-private partnership, or P3, for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. This deal secured the rest of the funding DOTD needed on the roughly $170 million project. In order to pay the developer back and to secure maintenance dollars, the state is implementing tolls.
“A lot of effort went into where the tolls are right now, but you always want to do better.” said Plaquemines Parish President Keith Hinkley.
The bridge is expected to be complete this spring, that’s when electronic tolling will begin in each direction. Plaquemines Parish residents with a GeauxPass will pay 25 cents each direction. Most vehicles without a GeauxPass will pay $2.20 each direction. 18-wheelers and other large vehicles over 35 feet without a GeauxPass would pay nearly $17 roundtrip. Tolls could increase annually, except the Plaquemines Parish resident rate.
“Different avenues for creating this bridge were explored,” Ginn said. “Raising the gas tax, raising local taxes and a lot of other factors were weighed back-and-forth. P3 was the best method moving forward.”
According to a Louisiana Legislative Audit, over the 30-year term, Plenary Infrastructure could collect more than $748 million in tolls. The audit said had the State identified at least $111.1 million in additional funding, DOTD could have built the bridge without a toll.
“The new contract is probably a tough ask because you have Plenary here and they have the contract if you want to say of a lifetime,” Hinkley said.
When tolling begins, the amount paid depends on the size of your vehicle and whether you’re a resident of Plaquemines Parish. Those that we talked with have mixed reactions about paying a fee.
Resident Liz Treadaway said, “It’s better than getting stopped at a bridge that goes up in the afternoon and down. 25 cents to me is really not a big deal.”
Gail Lomas who lives outside of Plaquemines Parish said, “People will probably try to find a way to avoid it.”
Freda LeBlanc, acknowledges that there can be long backups along Belle Chasse Highway near the construction site, but she believes the aging infrastructure needed to be replaced.
“I know a lot of people on Facebook say I can’t take this anymore. It’s just what you go through when they build something,” LeBlanc said.
State Senator Pat Connick called the tolls “an unfair financial burden” on the citizens of Plaquemines Parish. Connick wants the contract renegotiated.
Connick said, “I am drafting legislation that will establish a taxing district with the new LNG plant that will direct moneys to pay down the debt on the new bridge and make road improvements to address the growth Plaquemines Parish is experiencing.”
See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.
Subscribe to the Fox 8 YouTube channel.
Copyright 2024 WVUE. All rights reserved.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7p7vXcaOirpVjsLC5jmtna2xfZYBwfJFopZ6vXZeyrbjEZpqhmaOosm6u0aKboJ1dqbytuMinnmaqkZ7Apr%2BMqqyeq6SevK%2B%2FjJqkopxdmLyuvMueq6KnnmQ%3D