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Belle Chasse Experience Shows P3 Toll Deals Are Bad for Taxpayers

Belle Chasse Experience Shows P3 Toll Deals Are Bad for Taxpayers

The Louisiana Motor Transport Association (LMTA) applauds the suspension of tolls on the Belle Chasse Bridge, as announced on the Governor’s social media page.


The Belle Chasse tolls added hidden fees to residents and small businesses, with little transparency, leaving single parents and local business owners struggling under unexpected costs. That experience shows how public-private partnership (P3) deals can over-promise and under-deliver — adding even more fees to an already expensive project.

LMTA stresses that the same P3 model was used for the proposed replacement of the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge. While Governor Landry negotiated what was touted as a “better deal,” this critical national freight corridor should never have been tolled. Tolls on the Calcasieu River Bridge would act as a double tax on truckers who already pay substantial fuel taxes, further raising the cost of transporting goods and burdening Louisiana families and businesses.

“These are 500-page contracts that no one can fully understand or grasp the magnitude of the fees buried inside,” said Renee Amar, LMTA Executive Director.

LMTA also thanks Senator Patrick Connick and Representative Jacob Braud for their leadership and partnership with the Governor in advocating for a fairer, more transparent approach to infrastructure financing
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