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Started By
Message
Should Louisiana make all non-interstate bridges over the Mississippi tollways?
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:52 am
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:52 am
All tolls would go towards maintenance of the bridges. That would leave only two bridges under the care of the DOTD - I-10 in BR and I-20 in Vicksburg (MDOTD takes care of the bridge in Natchez and LADOTD takes care of Vicksburg already).
It would free up millions of dollars and backlogs.
Also, apparently the LADOTD gave the state police 25 million dollars last year out of their permit money from the Dept of Weights and Measures. Why? Who really knows. But the State Police do not even check weights and measures. It's just free money for them.
The DOTD has an agreement with the feds that is 80/20. The feds put up 80% of the highway funds, and the DOTD has to match 20. They can't even do that.
Making the non-interstate bridges tolls and stopping that gift of 25 million to state police would help out a ton towards this, if not make it possible to rely on the fed money much less.
What does the OT think? SHould this be an option that should be discussed?
It would free up millions of dollars and backlogs.
Also, apparently the LADOTD gave the state police 25 million dollars last year out of their permit money from the Dept of Weights and Measures. Why? Who really knows. But the State Police do not even check weights and measures. It's just free money for them.
The DOTD has an agreement with the feds that is 80/20. The feds put up 80% of the highway funds, and the DOTD has to match 20. They can't even do that.
Making the non-interstate bridges tolls and stopping that gift of 25 million to state police would help out a ton towards this, if not make it possible to rely on the fed money much less.
What does the OT think? SHould this be an option that should be discussed?
This post was edited on 7/30/14 at 9:54 am
8
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:54 am to magildachunks
Yes, simple enough solution.
And future loops / bypasses / expressways should also use tolls, all on the same system.
And future loops / bypasses / expressways should also use tolls, all on the same system.
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:54 am to magildachunks
I would be fine with it.
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:55 am to magildachunks
quote:
non-interstate bridges over the Mississippi tollways?
How many are there..?
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:55 am to magildachunks
What bridges are you saying need more maintenance?
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:56 am to magildachunks
If those tolls were designated only to pay for improvements to those bridges and to finance highway projects in those areas, I would be fine with it. However, I would not like to see the Old Bridge be a toll bridge, but if that would get BR a working loop, I would accept it.
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:56 am to magildachunks
quote:
State Police do not even check weights and measures.
Sure about that..?
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:57 am to GrammarKnotsi
quote:
How many are there..?
Right now, I count 8 bridges over the Mississippi that they have to fund to maintain.
By doing this, you knock that down to 2. Possibly 3 if you include the I-310 bridge. But that could be a toll as well.
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:58 am to GrammarKnotsi
quote:
How many are there..?
Audubon
Sunshine
Veterans
Huey Long (both)
CC Connection
Bridge in Natchez/Vidalia
This post was edited on 7/30/14 at 10:01 am
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:58 am to LSUBoo
quote:It is...I really don't hate this on the surface. Especially if the tolls go toward maintenance and future crossings over the river. No caveats or strings attached, this is a good idea for funding.
Yes, simple enough solution.
And future loops / bypasses / expressways should also use tolls, all on the same system.
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:58 am to Kingpenm3
quote:
What bridges are you saying need more maintenance?
They all need constant maintenance. But this would allow the bridges to generate their own funds for the maintenance, instead of having to dip into the DOTD funds.
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:59 am to GrammarKnotsi
quote:
How many are there..?
Six and a half:
CCC
Long-Nola
Lutcher
Sunshine
Long-BR
Audubon
Natchez-Vidalia
This post was edited on 7/30/14 at 10:01 am
Posted on 7/30/14 at 9:59 am to GrammarKnotsi
quote:
How many are there..?
6 counting the West Bank Expressway.
Posted on 7/30/14 at 10:00 am to The Sad Banana
quote:
No caveats or strings attached,
yeah right
Posted on 7/30/14 at 10:00 am to magildachunks
Yes
Posted on 7/30/14 at 10:00 am to GrammarKnotsi
quote:
State Police do not even check weights and measures.
Sure about that..?
The Weights and Measures "police" that you see in those cars are apparently DOTD employees.
State Police do not operate the facilities nor look for compliance.
This is coming from someone who works in DOTD. They may be wrong, but I do trust their word. Listened to a long rant yesterday from a few DOTD employees.
Posted on 7/30/14 at 10:01 am to Croacka
Indeed.
Posted on 7/30/14 at 10:01 am to GrammarKnotsi
quote:
Sure about that..?
He's wrong there. I drive past the weight stations every day, and they most certainly are manned by state police.
ETA: After seeing the last post about it, the troopers are there to actually enforce things. I've never seen the actual workers there pull anyone over. It's always the troopers that are there.
This post was edited on 7/30/14 at 10:03 am
Posted on 7/30/14 at 10:02 am to LNCHBOX
quote:
6 counting the West Bank Expressway.
Seems more correct. I think I counted some that MDOTD has purview over.
Posted on 7/30/14 at 10:05 am to magildachunks
quote:
This is coming from someone who works in DOTD. They may be wrong, but I do trust their word. Listened to a long rant yesterday from a few DOTD employees.
The fact that you don't fact check, kills any argument you plan on having
quote:
The Department of Public Safety, Weights and Standards Unit is a uniformed commissioned POST certified Peace Officer position and serves as a Louisiana State Police representative. Officers have state wide authority to enforce the criminal and traffic laws of the state, make arrests, and perform other related duties imposed upon them by the legislature as peace officers. The Weights and Standards Unit is legislatively mandated to direct, coordinate, and control the activities of the Weights and Standards Mobile and Stationary scale divisions. The Weights and Standards Section is located in the Transportation and Environmental Safety Section (TESS) of the Patrol Division.
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