Tolling in Louisiana: Past, Present and Future

Tolling in Louisiana:
Past, Present and Future
IBTTA Austin
Sherri H. LeBas
DOTD Secretary
Tolling In Louisiana
• Mississippi River Bridge Authority (MRBA) –
1952
• Greater New Orleans Expressway
Commission (GNOEC) – 1954
• Sunshine Bridge – 1964
• Crescent City Connection (CCC) - 1989
• Louisiana Transportation Authority (LTA) 2001
History
• Mississippi River Bridge
Authority (MRBA)
– 1952
– Bridge and Ferry
Authority
– Greater New Orleans
Bridge (aka CCC Bridge
#1) opened in 1958 with
a 10-lane toll plaza
– Tolls collected from 1958
to 1964
– Annual pledge of State
stipends substituted for
revenue bonds
– MRBA transferred to
DOTD in 1975
– Greater New Orleans
Bridge (aka CCC Bridge
#2) opened in 1988 with
a new 12-lane toll plaza
History
• Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission
(GNOEC)
– 1954
– Characterized as a local or inter-parish entity for a Toll
Causeway over Lake Pontchartrain
– Opened first bridge in 1956
– Second parallel structure opened in 1969
– Continues in operation with 4-lane toll plaza
History
• Sunshine Bridge
– Opened in 1964 with 3lane toll plaza
– Through August 15,
2001, a 50-cent toll was
collected on the west
bank
– Toll was discontinued by
an act of the Louisiana
Legislature
History
• Crescent City
Connection (CCC)
– MRBA renamed in 1989
– Both bridges operated as
a unitary facility with 8
general traffic lanes and
2 reversible HOV lanes
History
• Louisiana Transportation Authority (LTA)
– LA 1 Expressway (aka “Gateway to the Gulf”) Phase 1B and
1C opened 2009 with 2 All-Electronic Toll lanes
– Phase 1 completed in 2011
Recent History - CCC Tolling
• Bonds for CCC Bridge #2 pay
out and tolls to sunset in
December 2012
• Act 865 of 2012 Regular
Session calls for local election
in November 2012 to
continue the tolls
• Referendum passed by very
narrow margin
• March 2013, a Legal
challenge overturns election
•
•
•
•
results and set new election
in May 2013
Tolling Suspended until May
election
May 4th vote to continue tolls
fails
DOTD processes toll
tag/account refunds
DOTD assumes some services
and transitions others locals
10
Present Tolling Operations
In Louisiana
• Greater New Orleans Expressway
Commission (GNOEC) – 1954
Not Operated by DOTD
• La 1 - Louisiana Transportation Authority
(LTA) - 2001
So why build a toll bridge in
such a remote location?
LA 1 Expressway
Old LA 1 Roadway Flooded
Frequently
New LA 1 Expressway is
Elevated
Improvements on LA 1
• Converted 1 AET Lane to Cash/Credit within existing
structure
• Eliminated Pre-Pay/Post-Pay
• ATPM and Toll booth added, toll collection staff hired
• Cash lane lengthened
• Toll Tag Giveaway Programs
14
LA 1 Toll Revenue
Annual Revenue
Monthly Revenue
$7,000,000
$700,000
$6,000,000
$600,000
$500,000
$5,000,000
$400,000
$4,000,000
$300,000
$3,000,000
$200,000
$2,000,000
$1,000,000
$0
FY 2010
FY 2011
FY 2012
FY 2013
FY 2014
FY 2014
FY 2013
FY 2012
$100,000
FY 2011
$0
FY 2010
Tolling Challenges in Louisiana
• NIMBY mentality in regions with potential projects
– Built comparable corridors without tolls.
• I-10 and I-12 widened
• I-49 North from Shreveport to Arkansas
• History
– The legislature has a history of reducing tolls without
reducing services
– The perception that after the infrastructure is paid for the
obligations end
Tolling Challenges: Louisiana Takeaways
• State size
– Marginal Traffic Volumes
– Alternative routes around toll routes
– As a small state, traffic demand is limited to select
corridors, primarily interstates
Tolling Challenges: Louisiana Takeaways
• Political environment
–
–
–
–
An electorate not overly supportive of tolls
Cost-effectiveness questioned by many
A recent history of repealing tolls
A desire for local decisions regarding tolls
Studies for Future Tolling
• Ouachita Loop
• I-10 Calcasieu River
Bridge
• I-49 South
• Baton Rouge Urban
Renewal and
Mobility Plan
(BUMP)
• West Side
Expressway