The Louisiana Motor Transport Association (LMTA) and the trucking industry are strongly opposed to the proposed tolling of the I-10 Calcasieu River Parish bridge in Lake Charles, La. The recently released Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development (LADOTD) tolling schedule, listed below, confirms what the LMTA predicted-this bridge will be funded largely by silently taxing the truckers. An industry that already pays millions in diesel tax that is supposed to go toward funding our interstates, such as I-10.

PROPOSED TOLLING SCHEDULE: 

• Local Auto: $0.25 (Toll Tag) | N/A (Non-Toll Tag) | $0.13 (Peak Hour HOV Rate)
• Auto: $2.55 (Toll Tag) | $3.75 (Non-Toll Tag) | $1.25 (Peak Hour HOV Rate)
• Medium Truck: $2.55 (Toll Tag) | $3.82 (Non-Toll Tag) | N/A (Peak Hour HOV Rate)
• Large Truck: $12.50 (Toll Tag) | $18.73 (Non-Toll Tag) | N/A (Peak Hour HOV Rate)

These tolls disproportionately burden the trucking industry with funding the project. For medium-sized carriers with multiple trucks that rely on this route to move goods, the annual tolling costs are calculated to be in the millions.

As an industry, we firmly agree that there needs to be a greater investment in our state's infrastructure, including the long-needed repairs to the Calcasieu River Bridge. What we disagree with is the burden of funding these projects being placed squarely on the backs of the trucking industry, that already contributes millions in taxes. We find this egregious when there has been an emphasis from the federal government, with Presidents Biden & Trump visiting this bridge, using it as the backdrop for infrastructure policy.

Interstate 10 runs through the country, from Jacksonville, FL, to Santa Monica, CA. In the 2,460 miles that I-10 runs, there are no tolls throughout the seven states the interstate intersects. The DOTD's current plan of implementing tolling would provide the bridge & Louisiana with the only tolled portion of I-10 in the country. Allowing tolling on I-10 would set a poor precedent for our state nationally.

We oppose funding this bridge with tolls and urge the administration and elected officials to look at alternatives for funding this project. Louisiana must keep tolls off of our interstate.