A SWLA Economic Development Alliance Perspective: Interstate 10 Calcasieu River Bridge Bridge Overview Opened to traffic in 1952, the Interstate 10 Calcasieu River Bridge is a through truss structure with a length of 6,605 feet, width of 52.4 feet with the longest span measuring 420.8 feet. Currently, the bridge services an estimated 70,000 motorists per day. This bridge represents one of two interstate roadways that are traveled on by motorists in the Lake Charles/Sulphur metro area, the other being Interstate 210. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development intends to replace the bridge “with a multi-span girder bridge. The new bridge will have three 12-foot travel lanes, 12-foot shoulders and be approximately 7,600 feet in length. Traffic will be maintained by use of the existing bridge while the new bridge is under construction. Additional right-of-way will be required.” This project is currently in the process of review by the state and consultants for an Environmental Impact Statement, which is expected to be completed in the winter of 2018.
Bridge facts Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development proposes to replace the bridge. Federal Highway Administration has two performance measurements for bridges: good condition and poor condition, the Calcasieu River Bridge is considered to be in poor condition. Louisiana intends to obtain federal funds for the project, but current budgetary constraints make it impossible for the state to meet the match. I-10 Bridge is rated “functionally obsolete” by the National Bridge Inventory. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development regards the bridge as structurally sound. The bridge has been designated a “priority mega-structure” for replacement. The bridge is outdated and needs to be replaced for safety reasons. Currently, it has no shoulders or lighting. Department of Transportation ranking it at 24.9 out of 100. Calcasieu River Bridge is the lowest scoring bridge on the list of Deficient Bridges in Louisiana. I-35 West Mississippi River Bridge in Minneapolis, Minn., that collapsed and killed over a dozen while injuring 145 was rated a 50. The bridge is important because it sits in the middle of the Interstate 10 corridor from California to Florida. The bridge is located in the heart of America’s clean energy revolution with over $121 billion in economic investment, the bulk of which is related to liquefied natural gas. Currently, the state and HNTB (engineering consulting company) are compiling an Environmental Impact Statement which according to DOTD, “an Environmental Impact Statement is a full-disclosure document, prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), that details the process through which a transportation project is developed. It includes a considerable range of alternatives, demonstrates compliance with environmental laws and provides a means for public input into the decision-making process.”
There are two alternatives: A compensated foundation above the ethylene dichloride (EDC) depth or long-span bridge over EDC contamination area. There are six other subalternatives which address the Westlake interchange.
Bridge Condition (From I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge I-10 West End - I-10/2-10 East End Preliminary Alternatives screening Methodology) Structural Deficiencies (Existing structural integrity issues of the Calcasieu River Bridge include, but are not limited to): Corrosion and loss of bridge steel sections Corrosion of pin-type connections on bridge approach spans Damaged electrical wiring Warping of plates Inadequate load limit for an interstate highway Deterioration, cracking, spalling, and exposed aggregate on the bridge Functional Deficiencies (Functional deficiencies along existing I-10 and the Calcasieu River Bridge include, but are not limited to): Not enough lanes to accommodate traffic flow Roadway shoulder widths below minimum design criteria throughout the I-10 corridor: no room for shoulders or sidewalks on bridge Width of I-10 median from PPG Dr. to the Calcasieu River Bridge below minimum design criteria Acceleration lane lengths do not meet design criteria I-10 exit and entrance ramps at Sampson St. do not meet design criteria for horizontal curve radius minimums or acceleration and deceleration lengths I-10 entrance and exit ramp spacing and weaving distance do not meet design criteria Steep bridge approach grades (5% on the east approach) exceed the recommended 3% maximum grade design criteria Vertical clearance above the bridge (15 feet, 5 inches) does not meet recommended 16.5feet vertical clearance design criteria Roadblocks to Replacement Three separate issues are hindering the replacement process, which is environmental contamination, governmental red tape, and financing: Environmental: In 1994 an ethylene dichloride (EDC) spill occurred in the vicinity of the bridge. Remediation efforts started, but have not been completed. State and federal officials are concerned about the possibility of construction causing the EDC to migrate into the Chicot Aquifer. Both the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and United States Environmental Protection Agency continue to monitor the project. Governmental: A question can be asked related to the commitment that top level governmental leaders have regarding the bridge. The Interstate 10 Calcasieu River Bridge is competing against the I-49 connector and extension in Lafayette, and the Mississippi River Bridge in Baton Rouge. Locally, the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has been the primary group
addressing the project. The organization understands the importance of the bridge project, which has inter and multimodal implications due to the effect of surface transportation impacts on the region’s aviation/aerospace, maritime, refining, petrochemical, and gaming industries. Financing: Current DOTD estimates have a new bridge costing almost a billion dollars. Louisiana is in the midst of an infrastructure and financing crisis. The I-10 Bridge is just one of the state’s problems. Currently, we live in a state with the 10th largest highway system with 16,635 miles of road, 12,788 bridges, 70 airports, 39 (deep, shallow or coastal) ports, and 19 freight railroads. Louisiana is 50th in overall transportation investment. Our transportation backlog totals $13.1 billion. That leaves a question: How to finance an Interstate 10 Calcasieu River Bridge? Adding to the project’s difficulties was the failure of the state’s proposed gas tax and payment in lieu of taxes legislation (PILOTS) that was an incentive that would allow corporations to make upfront expenditures in lieu of property taxes. The wording of the law allowing PILOTS has been contested following a lawsuit filed in Cameron Parish. Alliance Statement The Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance supports the development of a multitiered and public/private initiative to influence the eventual planning, financing and construction of a new Interstate 10 (I-10/Interstate 210 West End to the I-10/I-210 East End) bridge and highway system (with improvements to Westlake’s Sampson Street intersection) in Calcasieu Parish. Once completed, this interstate improvement would ensure the safety of motorists, and increase economic development opportunities on a local, state and national level. In order for this project to be successful, a collaborative effort involving public/private sector stakeholders needs to be developed and coordinated until the project is completed. The Alliance believes the planned initiative should focus on two areas: 1. Finance 2. Governmental/Advocacy Finance: It is estimated that the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) – that is needed in order for the project to move forward on the state and federal level – will be completed in the winter of 2018 according to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Even with the report, there is still no funding available for the estimated $700 million to $1 billion (construction, right of way, and potential environmental remediation costs are included in the approximations) due to the state’s current transportation budget constraints. Because of the political climate, a vibrant legislative and public conversation seems to negate the possibility of a state gas tax to fund this project and others around Louisiana. When the EIS is completed Southwest Louisiana should be involved in the conversation to determine how the project will be completed. Therefore, the Alliance supports the creation of a task force that would investigate all potential funding sources and devise a policy or list of recommendations to the state and federal governments. This task force should consist of regional public and private stakeholders who would meet for a specific amount of time. The time period until the EIS is completed provides time for locals to give serious consideration. Governmental Affairs/Advocacy: Since the late 1980s, considerations have been given to replace the bridge. Progress has been stymied due to financing and environmental concerns.
What exasperates the situation is a lack of knowledge about the bridge’s importance to America, especially when the five-parish region is home to an estimated $121 billion in economic development with a dire need for improved infrastructure. The Alliance believes that the bridge narrative needs to be repackaged and sold nationwide to public/private entities located along the national I-10 highway system; Louisiana and Washington D.C.; along with companies involved in maritime trade, transportation, unions, Chambers of Commerce, etc. This effort will need: A new marketing plan utilizing video and audio production, social media platforms, formal correspondence (letters) to public/private entities and media outlets, speaking tours, media relations, grassroots communications, etc. The goal is to communicate the narrative with sustained and measurable outcomes with the intent to build a consensus at the highest levels of government and commerce. Such an effort will develop assets that will help influence the future of the I-10 project while making it a matter of national concern. Such a campaign will need funding for subject matter experts, studies and statistical data to develop a consistent message. Alliance Interstate 10 Recommendations 1. Create a task force that focuses on bridge finance. The task force would provide a report and recommendation (that could become Alliance official policy) for financing and possible state legislative action. 2. Create a governmental affairs/Advocacy (marketing) strategy to redefine the I-10 narrative and share it nationwide.
The Alliance also supports the research and development of additional plans that are associated with the I-10 project: 1. Creation of a safety plan in the event of a worst case scenario that would protect the public and address economic development concerns. 2. Creation of a local transportation commission (by state legislative approval) that would be charged with financing the structure. 3. Expedited plans for the current I-10 and I-210 repairs. 4. The Alliance providing official comment to the state and HNTB Corporation (consultant compiling EIS) within 45 days. 5. Additional alternative routes i.e. I-210 north loop. 6. Economic impacts of the potential project on Lake Charles, Sulphur, and Westlake (including the lake-front, Nellie Lutcher Cultural District and North Lake Charles Community). 7. Traffic congestion issues along I-10 and I-210.