- Lawmaker Doesn't Expect Quick End To Bridge Toll Suspension Imposed On Plenary
- PA Turnpike And PennDOT Designate Hundreds More Truck Parking Spaces
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Lawmaker Doesn't Expect Quick End To Bridge Toll Suspension Imposed On Plenary
Louisiana State Representative Jacob Braud (R-105) doesn’t expect a quick end to the state suspension of Belle Chasse Bridge tolling.
Last week, Governor Jeff Landry (R) ordered Plenary, the bridge builder and concession operator, to cease collection and respond to a letter that reportedly claims the company failed to meet contractual obligations and mishandled tolling. According to Representative Braud, Plenary has ten days to respond but implementing corrections may take considerably longer. Braud would like to see the state buy back the concession and permanently eliminate tolls.
Preceding the letter, Governor Landry — accompanied by Braud and another lawmaker — issued a social media video statement announcing the toll suspension. In it, Landry repeated earlier unsubstantiated criticism of the P3 deal that his Democratic predecessor negotiated with Plenary. He implied the state will try to renegotiate its agreement with Plenary during the tolling pause but offered no specific proposal.
Tolling started in May but was quickly subject to customer and lawmaker complaints about collection procedures and policies, the amount of penalty fees Plenary levied, and the economic impact of toll charges on the Plaquemines Parish community.
In 2024, Louisiana closed another P3 deal with a Plenary-led consortium for the $2.3 billion I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge megaproject in Lake Charles. The final agreement was approved only after Governor Landry negotiated changes in terms agreed to by the previous administration. State transportation officials reported in August 2025 that the I-10 project is proceeding slightly ahead of schedule and on track for a 2026 construction start.
Sources: NOLA.com, WWL News, TRN (10-3-25), TRN (8-21-25), TRN (8-16-24), TRN (1-31-24)
AET (All-Electronic Tolling) Louisiana Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) P3 Privatization & Private Ownership Plenary GroupPA Turnpike And PennDOT Designate Hundreds More Truck Parking Spaces
Yesterday, October 6, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC), PennDOT, and the state police announced that 1,202 new truck parking spaces in 133 locations will be create by the end of 2026. In addition, PTC is now evaluating the possibility of designating more than 600 additional spaces across its system.
The expansion is being accomplished by means other than new facility construction. PennDOT, in cooperation with the state police, is designating spaces on existing interstate highway on-ramps that do not involve safety concerns, at weigh stations, and in other right-of-way locations. PennDOT will identify the parking spots with signs. The areas under evaluation by PTC include emergency pull-offs, interchange on-ramps, and service plaza on-ramps. As open-road tolling installation and interchange reconfiguration proceeds, PTC will consider the potential to add more parking spaces for truckers. Over the last twenty years, the turnpike has invested more than $30 million in expanding truck parking at service plazas.
PennDOT also unveiled a “Public Truck Parking” tool that’s been added to the www.511PA.com website and the 511PA smartphone application. A map displays existing truck parking options across the state, and it will be updated as the department and PTC add new locations.
“Truck parking is a nationwide issue, and with the high volume of freight traffic coming through Pennsylvania, the Shapiro Administration knew that we needed to tackle this problem,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll commented. PTC chief executive Mark Compton added, “We are dedicated to finding innovative solutions that address the increasing truck parking shortages along our system, and we take pride in collaborating with partners throughout the Commonwealth to enhance driver safety and improve logistics efficiency.”
The Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association joined in yesterday’s announcement and thanked the state for its commitment to reducing the shortage of locations where truckers can safely take required work breaks.
Source: PennDOT news release
Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Safety (Includes COVID-19 Impacts) Mobile Navigation and Traffic Monitoring Apps Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC)Subscription Information
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