Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana - The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has announced that the deadline for finalizing the public-private partnership (P3) for the Interstate 10 widening project, which includes building a new Calcasieu River Bridge in Lake Charles and Westlake, has been pushed back to February 1, 2024.

DOTD and Calcasieu Bridge Partners have agreed to extend the deadline for signing the P3 contract by 60 days. The original deadline for the P3 proposal submitted by Calcasieu Bridge Partners on June 6, 2023, was December 3, 2023. This extension allows for additional time to conduct limited negotiations and obtain necessary approvals in order to move the project forward.

The Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Eric Kalivoda emphasized the continued importance of prioritizing the replacement of the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge for transportation investment. He noted that extending the deadline for executing the P3 contract is a positive step towards further investigating different options to advance the project.