re: Will our incompetent LADOTD ever restart the LA1 bridge project in Port Allen?

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I’m more interested in them ever getting off their arse to build the 415 bridge. That connector would do wonders for traffic.

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That one is an interesting conundrum. Grön Fuels decided they want to build a $9B renewable fuels complex smack in the middle of the proposed route for the connector, which completely undid all of the planning DOTD had out into the project.

At that point there’s not much they can do other than start over and find a new route.. I can’t imagine anyone has the political will to rock the boat on a $9B construction project.

The problem, as I recall, is that using any other route will require most/all of the connector to be elevated, which leads to a huge increase in cost/complexity. I think it may also mean they have to start over with permitting processes as well.

That being said.. like most of these projects, the real delay up to that point wasn’t studies or permitting. It was funding. The project could have been done years ago if the money had been allocated. The reality is that almost all of these long-term “they’ve been talking about this forever” projects aren’t actually funded because there’s not enough money to go around.

Hopefully the injection of federal funding starts to shake some of these projects loose. But even that takes time because of the amount of back & forth required before the funds actually get disbursed.

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Do you want to pay for it? The gas tax hasn’t been raised since the 90s. Try building a deck to your house in 2023 with a 1995 budget. I don’t want to pay more taxes. I pay plenty. But people on here bitch and complain about “the guvment” too damn much. Why don’t you pool your money with some of your friends and local business and finance the project. Report back on your efforts.

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Jesus frick. LADOTD doesn’t get shite done with what they have so let’s give them more money. GFY.

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incompetent LADOTD

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Test piles were driven and passed so nothing wrong with geotech. How do we know the designer followed the geo tech? Has anyone checked their math? I hate the government as much as anyone but no need for unjust blame.

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Can you provide proof of where and who was to blame? Please do so. Thanks.

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I actually can. LADOTD's engineer made a error calculating the pile tip elevations. Keep in mind this is a LADOTD designed project. The contractor is building the bridge per plans. A third party company has been hired to come in and grout between a suitable soil layer and the installed piles.

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gas taxes havent been raised since the 90s. there are way more cars now so more people paying gas tax. hence they have way more money now

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Not really.

Gasoline tax and inspection fees;
FY 2007 475.03 million dollars
FY 2012 445.51 million dollars
FY 2017 486.85 million dollars
FY 2021 462.33 million dollars

La. Dept. of Revenues



The amount of revenues varied year to year.
I found the numbers from fiscal year 2007 until fiscal year 2021.

The fewest revenues in the period covered was in 2012 with 2020 being the second fewest revenues.
The most in the listed time period was 2017 and second most was 2019.

The taxes collected seem to be fairly even and really not growing with higher traffic.

I think economic issues, better gas mileage, and EVs are all impacting the amount of gas tax La. collects.

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Do you want to pay for it? The gas tax hasn’t been raised since the 90s. Try building a deck to your house in 2023 with a 1995 budget.

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Right . . . and the number of gallons purchased has remained constant since 1995?