re: The Baton Rouge traffic problem exceeds the problem solving skills of our political class

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Toll roads provide additional capacity, and they provide options that help everyone.

Let's say on an average day, it will take 48 minutes to get from point A to point B on I-10. Let's say it will also take 23 minutes to get from Point A to Point B on the "Tiger Toll Road" but it costs $7 to do so.

Some people will decide that the $7 toll is well worth it to save 25 minutes. Or maybe they are running late and the $7 is the difference between getting to that meeting on time or not, so they pay it.

Other people will decide the $7 isn't a good use of money and will stay on I-10.

However, because SOME people will take the Tiger Toll Road, it reduces the number of cars on I-10. That reduction of traffic on I-10 might now cause the trip on I-10 to only take 41 minutes instead of 48.

Everyone benefits from toll roads - including the "poor" who can't / won't pay for tolls.

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I've often thought that the I-12 corridor through Baton Rouge could have an elevated express "bypass" running through the middle that could be designed to work in both directions. West in the AM and East in the PM.

Start it in the left lane just after College

End the throughway a mile short of Bass Pro or simply place a exit there and then end it at Juban

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I've often thought that the I-12 corridor through Baton Rouge could have an elevated express "bypass" running through the middle that could be designed to work in both directions. West in the AM and East in the PM.

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Do you know if BR has ever considered an HOV lane?

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There really aren't many options. This choke point is a local, state, and national emergency.

People can yell "cut the budget!" all they want, but you're not finding $4 billion by redirecting funds. It needs to be built, and it's gonna be painful. The NIMBYs and the anti-taxers will make noise, and maybe they'll win, and it will never, ever, ever happen. It just won't. An emergency will turn into a disaster.

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First, I 100% believe we need to "belt-tighten" our government in Louisiana. But that's a generational solution that won't help this problem. Yes, its really simple, we need more money to pay for this. Also people forget the lag time on these projects.

Maybe it shouldn't be that hard to do but even if you have the money ready its at least 1-2 years before we get to construction and 3-4 years for construction minimum. And if you don't have the money today its 3-4 years to find the money and get to construction (see the new MSY terminal flyover project). In short, often the administration that creates a solution is not around to see if come to fruition for big highway and transit projects.

Don't want to go all PT Board here, but this problem is 40% on previous administrations, 50% on Jindal and 10% on JBE. If JBE gets re-elected and doesn't help fix this then that Jindal blame shits to him.

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the anti-taxers will make noise

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hell yeah we will. We've been paying for years and have damn little to show for it. we have 0 trust in the people who take and spend out money. Yet we're supposed to just keep giving them money (or having it taken from us via confiscatory taxes)?

frick that.

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retirement being the biggest suck off if I had to guess.

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Guessing don’t cut it. Is that how you ‘feel’ or based in fact?

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Sounds to me like there are 5 solutions

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Thus we do not have THE solution.

Solveable? Certainly but since when has our state and local governments proven they can solve this problem?
Not in the last thirty years.

Raising revenues is hard to do because there is no real plan or leadership, and the leaders we have in place have been raising revenues(taxes) for other things that probably aren't as critical.

Special interests get funded at the expense of concrete projects like this one.

And then throw in factors like folks here in EBR face, beginning April 1 we will be paying TWO road taxes earmarked for programs in EBR some of which is going to state and federal highways.

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nice hyperbole. You must be a liberal.

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Rofl im a ruby red Republican who supports tolls because im a "Pay as you use" kind of guy.

I also vote in people to get the job done and not Bosephus's third cousin.


Edit: FYI it takes me 15 minutes to get from North Dallas to Las Colinas every day because of these big beautiful toll roads.

Time is money.

But I wouldn't expect someone still living in LA to understand that

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feelings based on facts. Louisiana is one of the highest-taxed states in the country. It also has one of the largest state governments (for its size). Its also almost a complete shite show.

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La isnt in the upper 50%

They are 27th in 2018

LINK /

The fact is that the Federal Governmemt would have to shell out big $$$ to build a long and big arse bridge from Walker to Lafayette. Why would they do that? For ‘Baton Rouge?’ Lol

This would cross the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers and the basin, plus untold swamp. It would be like the Overseas Highway in the Keys. That’s expensive and Louisiana is poor.

The Baton Rouge & Louisiana Congressional delegation can’t get itself together to have enough clout. Trump can count on the Louisiana vote if he funds this or not. People vote on distraction topics.

Consequently, Baton Rouge, and those traveling through, sit in traffic. Enjoy the show.