A bill that would provide about $54 million per year in state aid for a new bridge across the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge neared final approval Wednesday when the House endorsed it 98-1.
The measure, Senate Bill 277, now returns to the Senate for consideration of minor changes made in the House.
While the Louisiana House has voted to water down Gov. John Bel Edwards’ plan to spend $500 million for a new bridge across the Mississippi Ri…
The Senate earlier gave the plan lopsided approval.
It is sponsored by Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, which all but guarantees final approval.
The money would be on top of the $300 million approved earlier by the Legislature.
Resolving one of the key issues of the legislative session, state Senate leaders Sunday endorsed spending $300 million for a new bridge across…
The bridge and its connections, notably La. 30 on the east side and La. 1 on the west side, are expected to cost up to $3 billion.
Shawn Wilson, secretary for the state Department of Transportation and Development, said earlier the money could help subsidize any public-private partnership to help with financing costs.
Backers envision a partnership with a private firm to help pay for construction costs in exchange for a long-term revenue source — tolls.
State officials have also said the money could finance bonds totaling up to $1 billion.
The legislation won House approval without debate.
It sets up a fund in the state treasury that would allocate motor vehicle sales tax revenue for the bridge and three other projects.
The other three are construction of Interstate 49 South between Lafayette and New Orleans; a new Calcasieu River Bridge in Lake Charles and improvements to I-49 North.
The price-tags for those three are $8.6 billion, $1.8 billion and $1.2 billion respectively, according to state estimates.
All three would get $54 million each.
Moving motor vehicle sales tax revenue from Louisiana’s general fund to one for road and bridge projects only won approval last year.
The bill makes change in the 2021 law, and says that 75% of the new money would be used for the four projects.
The other 25% will be used for road and bridge preservation.
The House also approved a companion measure — Senate Bill 266 — that would ensure the new revenue is eligible for federal matching funds.
The vote was 99-0.
It won Senate approval on April 20 37-0
The Cortez bill cleared the Senate the same day 36-0.
Both are expected to win final approval before adjournment on Monday by 6 p.m.
A state panel Friday endorsed three sites in Iberville Parish just south of Plaquemine on the west side and St. Gabriel on the east as finalis…
A state panel last Friday narrowed the list of possible sites for a new bridge in Baton Rouge to three, and all three are in Iberville Parish.
A final site is expected by the summer of 2024.
Check back with The Advocate for more details.
