La. 1 toll bridge nears completion
A new toll bridge, scheduled to open this summer, is the first phase of the $1.4 billion Louisiana Highway 1 Expressway, which ultimately will consist of 19 miles of new elevated roadway from Golden Meadow to the Gulf of Mexico. (Rendering courtesy Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development)
The new toll bridge is the first phase of the $1.4 billion Louisiana Highway 1 Expressway, which will consist of 19 miles of new elevated roadway from Golden Meadow to the Gulf of Mexico. The new fixed-level toll bridge, scheduled to open this summer, will replace the existing Leeville lift-bridge. The existing structure will be demolished and removed.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development will host a series of open houses to explain the new Louisiana Highway 1 toll bridge and introduce GeauxPass, the new statewide toll collection system.
“The new bridge at Leeville will utilize the latest toll technology to allow drivers a quick, convenient and safe route to Port Fourchon and Grand Isle,” said Louisiana DOTD Secretary William Ankner. “DOTD realizes tolls are new to many residents and workers in this area. We want to provide detailed answers to questions people may have.”
The DOTD has planned a regional tour to explain the project and introduce GeauxPass, Louisiana’s new toll tag system.
GeauxPass will operate on open road tolling technology, which allows travelers to drive along the expressway without having to slow down or stop at toll booths, which officials say promotes smooth traffic flow and safety. Tolls on the expressway will be collected from southbound drivers only. Drivers heading north from Grand Isle or Port Fourchon will not be charged.
“The environmental benefits of open road tolling systems also are significant,” said Ankner. “Eliminating traditional toll booths reduces traffic congestion resulting in lower emissions and fuel consumption while improving overall air quality.”
GeauxPass will also be compatible with the Crescent City Connection in New Orleans and to a limited extent with the Causeway Bridge over Lake Pontchartrain.
Members of the La. 1 Coalition, the organization seeking infrastructure improvements between U.S. Highway 90 at Raceland and Port Fourchon/Grand Isle, will be available at the open houses to give project details and provide information on future phases of the project.
“The opening of the new La. 1 toll bridge at Leeville represents a milestone toward elevating and improving this critical energy corridor,” said Henri Boulet, executive director of the La. 1 Coalition.
“The new fixed-level bridge and replacement of the old Leeville lift-bridge has been over a decade in the making. We are pleased to highlight this success and introduce the public to future improvements to the La. 1 corridor.”
The Louisiana Highway 1 Expressway, designated by Congress as a “high-priority corridor” for its role as “critical energy infrastructure,” provides the only land access to Port Fourchon, which services 18 percent of the nation's daily crude oil needs.
The highway is also the only evacuation route during hurricanes and other adverse conditions for up to 35,000 people, including 6,000 offshore workers and residents of Grand Isle.
The highway provides access to more than 1,200 trucks per day that travel in and out of Port Fourchon.
