GOP Opposes I-10 Plan as Wasteful, Disruptive

 In public comments filed with the Louisiana Department of Transportation  and Development, the Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish opposed key parts of DOTD’s plans to widen I-10 and I-110 in Baton Rouge. The GOP said:

•We strongly support improvements to I-10 and I-110 in Baton Rouge to reduce traffic congestion and improve traffic flow.  However, we strongly oppose the proposed $1 billion I-10/I-110 construction plan proposed by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and instead we support the $77 million improvement plan proposed by the Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge Parish.

•Louisiana has a backlog of between $12 billion and $15 billion in important highway, bridge, and other transportation projects.  There is no room for wasteful projects that expend massive sums of tax dollars.  If we waste our precious dollars, too many urgent needs will go unmet.  The proposed DOTD plan for I-10/I-110 represents a collossal waste of money.  The essence of it is to tear down miles of existing highways and bridges, including the bridge over City Park Lakes, the Nairn Bridge, and the railroad bridge, and build new structures in their place.  This project will take 10 years or more and mire Interstate traffic in Baton Rouge in gridlock — the very thing we all want to avoid.

•The I-10/I-110 plan being promoted by the Chamber of Commerce of EBR is a sensible approach that keeps the existing infrastructure and simply adds another lane of traffic to I-10.  It does this by adjusting exits to conform to federal highway standards.  Its modest $77 million price tag and three-year timetable for completion will make major improvements that are realistic and cost effective.  It also preserves taxpayer resources for other desperately-needed projects.

•The Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish urges that the the LA DOTD plan be rejected and the ChamberEBR plan be substituted in its place.