Officials last week presented three location options for a new Mississippi River bridge crossing in the Capital Region.
The three sites are all in Iberville Parish with connections on the west side of the river south of Plaquemine and on the east side of the river in St. Gabriel.
“The decision to select these three locations was based on all the information we have gathered in the past two years,” state Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Shawn Wilson says. “The narrowing decision considered traffic and environmental impacts, as well as public comments.”
The Louisiana Legislature has approved a $300 million down payment on the project, which is estimated to cost around $2.5 billion. Gov. John Bel Edwards asked for $500 million.
Officials plan to use the state dollars to compete for federal funding. A public-private partnership involving toll revenue is expected to defray some of the cost.
Officials started with 32 possible sites. The options were officially narrowed from 10 to three today, a process that is necessary to complete the federally required environmental impact study.
