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Regular Session, 2011
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 119
BY REPRESENTATIVES ST. GERMAIN, BARROW, AND THIBAUT AND SENATOR
MARIONNEAUX
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To urge and request the Department of Transportation and Development to revert lane
adjustments that were implemented as part of the ongoing I-10 Mississippi River
Bridge, otherwise known as the Horace A. Wilkinson Bridge, signing and striping
project.
WHEREAS, as of Sunday, August 2, 2010, at 8:00 a.m., all westbound traffic
crossing the Mississippi River Bridge, otherwise known as the Horace A. Wilkinson Bridge,
in Baton Rouge exiting to Port Allen and Plaquemine is required to use the outer lane prior
to exiting and traffic in the westbound center lane is no longer able to exit as that lane serves
only westbound through traffic; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Transportation and Development stated that these
changes would leave the center and far-left lane free for the sixty-three percent of through
traffic traveling west in all three lanes to maintain optimum traveling speed; and
WHEREAS, the department announced that the far-right outer lane would serve the
remaining twenty-five percent exiting for Plaquemine and twelve percent existing for Port
Allen, and allow this traffic to slow for their appropriate exits without impeding the overall
traffic flow; and
WHEREAS, the department stated that the imbalance caused significant congestion
and delays on the bridge which caused frequent logjams at the I-10 and I-110 interchange;
and
WHEREAS, before these changes, the westbound traffic on the three-lane stretch of
the bridge could exit from the middle or right lanes; and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 119
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WHEREAS, since the change, traffic exiting the bridge for Plaquemine and Port
Allen are forced to make sudden lane changes causing confusion and danger to motorists on
the bridge; and
WHEREAS, it appears that more accidents have occurred on the bridge than in the
past; and
WHEREAS, it is public opinion that the overall traffic flow on the bridge and the
I-10 and I-110 interchange has not improved in such a way to justify the changes made; and
WHEREAS, the department is conducting further studies which have thus far shown
that previous striping directing traffic flow may be warranted.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request that the Department of Transportation and Development allow all
westbound traffic crossing the Mississippi River Bridge, otherwise known as the Horace A.
Wilkinson Bridge, in Baton Rouge exiting to Port Allen and Plaquemine to exit the bridge
from the middle or right lane as was done since the original construction of the bridge.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE