Plans are advancing for Louisiana’s $2.3-billion Calcasieu River Bridge project after the state's public-private partnership developer, Calcasieu Bridge Partners, reached financial close and officials issued a notice to proceed to the contractor. The project would replace the Interstate 10 Calcasieu River Bridge between Lake Charles and Westlake, La.
Calcasieu Bridge Partners is a consortium of Plenary Americas with Spain-based firms ACCIONA and Sacyr leading the project's design-build joint venture that also will operate and maintain the new toll bridge for 50 years through the P3 with the Louisiana Dept. of Transportation and Development.
Louisiana plans to fund $1.2 billion of the total bridge cost with state and federal money. The remaining portion will come from bonds to be repaid with toll revenue. The state will get close to 15% of toll revenue after construction, maintenance and debt service costs.
The current bridge is more than 70 years old and is beyond the term of its planned 50-year usable life. While it carries I-10, it predates the U.S. Interstate Highway System. Compared to modern bridges, the span has steeper approach grades, is narrower and lacks shoulders and lighting.
“Tens of thousands of motorists cross the outdated existing bridge every day,” Joe Donahue, state DOT agency secretary, said in a statement. “A new bridge is long overdue, and clearing this hurdle puts our state closer than ever to seeing construction on this essential project.”
The new bridge would have eight lanes, according to the contractors. Besides design and construction, the project scope includes modifications to existing roads along a 5.5-mile corridor, construction of three interchanges, raising a local road to separate it from an at-grade railroad and demolition of the existing bridge after the new one opens. The P3 consortium will also manage maintenance and tolling operations.
With the financial close and notice to proceed, Calcasieu Bridge Partners is set to begin design, according to Plenary, with construction to start in 2026 and bridge completion in 2031.
