Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry joined federal, state and local officials Wednesday to break ground on the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge Replacement Project
The groundbreaking ceremony is the official beginning of construction on the multi-billion-dollar Public-Private Partnership (P3) to modernize a critical infrastructure corridor in the U.S.
“This bridge has been a promise of the Landry Administration since day one and I am proud to fulfill it today,” Landry said. “This project marks the largest transportation infrastructure investment in Louisiana history. This is an exciting day for Calcasieu Parish and for the entire State, and I am already looking forward to the ribbon cutting just a few years from now!”
Officials said the $2.3 billion project will replace the existing 1950s-era Calcasieu River Bridge with a state-of-the-art structure designed to meet modern demands. While the new bridge is under construction, the current bridge and its connecting ramps will undergo strategic upgrades to ensure service through 2031 when the new bridge is slated to open.
The bridge corridor will feature expanded capacity and modern engineering standards, as well as three travel lanes in each direction. Construction activities are slated to ramp up immediately.
Also included in the project is the reconstruction of 5.5 miles of I-10, additional travel lanes on I-10, a new elevated Sampson Street interchange, the creation of an eastbound service road system, and reconstruction of the I-210 westbound.
“Bringing modernized infrastructure to this heavily traveled section of the Interstate 10 corridor is long overdue,” Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Glenn Ledet said. “This is a huge milestone in the department’s ongoing commitment to improving and strengthening transportation throughout the state. The department collaborated with agencies and officials on all levels to make this project a reality.”