Our President often says that there's no such thing as a Democrat or Republican bridge, and this is a good reminder of that, and I'm so appreciative of the Senator and of everybody who helped to make this a reality. He can't be here because of responsibilities he has in the Senate, but I want to recognize his vision in reaching across the aisle, working with President Biden to make today possible. You remind us by being here, we are not just building roads and bridges we're building livelihoods, we're building family savings, we're building those pathways into the middle class that are so important and you are at the heart of that.Īnd I want to mention that I had a good conversation with Senator Cassidy on the way down here. We are excited about all the good-paying union jobs that are going to come out of this and the other work in the infrastructure law. I know there are a lot of friends from the unions and the building trades here, thank you for being here. We are facing a crisis when it comes to safety on American roadways we can do something about it, we are doing something about it, and no one level of government, no jurisdiction, no entity can do it alone, which is why we have this call-to-action and why that pledge means so much.
And I really take to heart and appreciate this safety pledge. It's been such a pleasure to work with you. I want to thank Shawn Wilson who has been a terrific partner both in his capacity leading the state DOT and as the leader of AASHTO, the National Association of State Departments of Transportation at a moment when state departments of transportation have had more to talk about and work on and act on than any time in our lifetimes. I know we have the Mayor of West Lake here, as well as state, parish, and other leaders and we know that it takes collaboration across every level of government to get good things done that’s part of why we're here. The job has not gotten any easier since I proudly wore the title of Mayor and your readiness to work in a bipartisan fashion with this administration, with anybody who can benefit Lake Charles, it reflects so well on you and your team. Mayor, I want to thank you for leading your community through good times and challenging times. It's made a big difference in this partnership, so thank you. But it makes a big difference to work with a governor who understands the importance of infrastructure and that is certainly the case here, Governor Edwards, with your leadership. Look, we want to work with every state and territory in the country, and we do. But to all of you, thanks for the welcome. When I was Mayor- I always said that if it was bad weather, I said it was the county in charge and if it was good weather, I said it was us - so I don't know if you got to have words with your parish police counselor or not. Thanks to all of you, it's a real pleasure to be here and I want to thank you for lining up such a beautiful day. Public-private partnerships generally consist of a private investor providing the necessary capital for construction in exchange for long-term agreement to operate the structure and recoup their investment, DOTD explained.Well thank you very much Governor. The cost of doing nothing is far greater,” transportation Secretary Shawn D. In a Friday afternoon news release, the state suggested the new bridge would feature a toll to help fund the project: “By utilizing a Public-Private Partnership, the only way to move forward with this project is with the help of the private sector and a user fee. The total cost of constructing a new bridge is estimated to be between $600- $800 million, dependent on the preferred alternative chosen, of which DOTD has committed $85 million.
The state reminds drivers, though, it is safe to travel over. During Hurricane Laura in August, the storm blew a riverboat casino into the bridge structure. The bridge is infamous for its age and low rating. The state said it approved a plan to solicit public-private partnership proposals to replace the aging Calcasieu River Bridge.īuilt in 1952, the bridge is outdated and must be replaced to meet current highway standards, DOTD said. LAKE CHARLES – The notorious I-10 bridge linking Louisiana with Texas will be replaced, DOTD announced Friday.
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