Louisiana DOTD temporarily suspends tolls at ferries owned, operated by DOTD

[US71]

Tuesday, March 31, 2020 at 4:13:04 PM
DOTD temporarily suspends tolls at ferries owned, operated by DOTD

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development will temporarily suspend the tolls for the Plaquemine Ferry, Cameron Ferry and Duty Ferry beginning Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at 6 a.m. and will remain in place until April 30, 2020 unless amended, modified or rescinded. This change follows the statewide mandates of social distancing and helps to reduce the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus.

In order to help slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), DOTD urges motorists to follow some basic guidelines while using DOTD ferries.

Remain in your vehicle while on the ferry.
Keep vehicle windows closed.

[rte66man]

Are there practical alternative routes using bridges if the ferries were discontinued?

[rlb2024]

Are there practical alternative routes using bridges if the ferries were discontinued?

For Plaquemine the alternatives are the I-10 bridge in Baton Rouge (about 20 miles north with horrendous traffic) or the Sunshine Bridge (about 15 miles south).  For Cameron you have to go all the way up to Lake Charles, cross one of the bridges there, and come all the way back down (about a 100-mile trip -- Cameron is near the Gulf coast).  Not sure about the other ferry.

[cjk374]

Are there practical alternative routes using bridges if the ferries were discontinued?

For Plaquemine the alternatives are the I-10 bridge in Baton Rouge (about 20 miles north with horrendous traffic) or the Sunshine Bridge (about 15 miles south).  For Cameron you have to go all the way up to Lake Charles, cross one of the bridges there, and come all the way back down (about a 100-mile trip -- Cameron is near the Gulf coast).  Not sure about the other ferry.

The Duty ferry requires you to do a nearly 45 mile loop to cross the Ouachita River at Columbia, LA.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Columbia,+LA/Duty+-+Enterprise+Ferry,+LA-559,+Harrisonburg,+LA+71340/Grayson,+LA/Columbia,+LA/@32.0029802,-92.0842467,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m26!4m25!1m5!1m1!1s0x862fb99d46a2ba87:0x6687276e2b9e711e!2m2!1d-92.0779129!2d32.1051567!1m5!1m1!1s0x862f9912efc8469d:0x2ada4a770a2374c6!2m2!1d-91.9193497!2d31.916832!1m5!1m1!1s0x862fbe8646b1fab5:0x9fae088a388f5901!2m2!1d-92.1093026!2d32.049881!1m5!1m1!1s0x862fb99d46a2ba87:0x6687276e2b9e711e!2m2!1d-92.0779129!2d32.1051567!3e0?hl=en

[debragga]

Are there practical alternative routes using bridges if the ferries were discontinued?

For Plaquemine the alternatives are the I-10 bridge in Baton Rouge (about 20 miles north with horrendous traffic) or the Sunshine Bridge (about 15 miles south).  For Cameron you have to go all the way up to Lake Charles, cross one of the bridges there, and come all the way back down (about a 100-mile trip -- Cameron is near the Gulf coast).  Not sure about the other ferry.

The Duty ferry requires you to do a nearly 45 mile loop to cross the Ouachita River at Columbia, LA.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Columbia,+LA/Duty+-+Enterprise+Ferry,+LA-559,+Harrisonburg,+LA+71340/Grayson,+LA/Columbia,+LA/@32.0029802,-92.0842467,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m26!4m25!1m5!1m1!1s0x862fb99d46a2ba87:0x6687276e2b9e711e!2m2!1d-92.0779129!2d32.1051567!1m5!1m1!1s0x862f9912efc8469d:0x2ada4a770a2374c6!2m2!1d-91.9193497!2d31.916832!1m5!1m1!1s0x862fbe8646b1fab5:0x9fae088a388f5901!2m2!1d-92.1093026!2d32.049881!1m5!1m1!1s0x862fb99d46a2ba87:0x6687276e2b9e711e!2m2!1d-92.0779129!2d32.1051567!3e0?hl=en

I made it less confusing: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/31.9181592,-91.9193609/31.9132478,-91.9213725/@32.0030681,-92.1543103,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m4!4m3!2m1!3b1!3e0?hl=en