The request for qualifications is for the new ‘south’ Mississippi River Bridge, which would provide a connection to Interstate 10 on the west side of the Mississippi River and a connection to LA 30 on the east side. It is envisaged that the project will be funded in part through the collection of tolls.
Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development is working on the project with the Capital Area Road & Bridge District (CARB-D), which was set up to raise revenue to finance road and bridge projects to alleviate traffic congestion in the Baton Rouge area.
The consultancy work, which is split into two parts, is worth up to US$5 million.
The first part involves the development of a preliminary statement of purpose and need for the project. Tasks include a review of all previous studies or plans for a new Mississippi River Bridge in the study area and the development of a traffic model. The winning bidder will also be expected to assess plausible alternative corridors and conduct a preliminary environmental review of those that meet the preliminary statement of purpose and need. Also included in the scope is the preparation of preliminary cost estimates and toll analyses.
The second part involves environmental evaluation, the extent of which will depend on the results of the first phase of the work.
