Gov. Landry announces plans for new Lake Charles bridge after harsh winter conditions
There's no timeline for construction to start.
(KLFY)-- Governor Jeff Landry announced plans for a new bridge in Lake Charles Thursday night at the Golden Nugget.
This comes just days after the arctic blast left hundreds of people at a standstill for hours in icy conditions on the two bridges leading in and out of Lake Charles: the I-10 and 210 bridges.
Landry said if his bridge was in place, people wouldn't have been stranded.
As they plan for this new bridge, the governor's office is also partnering with State Police to conduct an after-action review of what exactly went wrong.
"If the bridge that I'm about to announce would have been in place, none of that would have happened,” Landry said.
Landry announced the beginning of the big project in Lake Charles just two weeks into his term.
The new governor compared his plans for the bridge to plans that former governor John Bel Edwards had but never completed.
"We're going to get the same bridge and over five miles of new interstate and frontage roads, but the cost is going to be 25% less,” Landry said.
Landry said with his bridge, tolls will be reduced by 26%. It also comes with good news for locals.
"Don't you think it's time that those people from outside of Louisiana help us pay for our infrastructure? This project says that 60% of the people who will pay those tolls are not even from Louisiana,” Landry said.
The governor explained he's also negotiated a 15% equity position in the bridge with no risk for the people of Lake Charles. That means the revenue will go right back to the locals. The funds can be used to further reduce tolls or fund other needed infrastructure.
"We can start to make Louisiana great again,” Landry said. “Unbelievable of a state that is going to compete with other states."
There's no timeline for construction to start.
The governor said he still needs support for this deal from the people here to move forward.
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