Audit: LA 1 toll system riddled with problems

[brownpelican]

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/112586279.html

Audit: Grand Isle toll bridge system fraught with problems
By WILL SENTELL
Advocate Capitol News Bureau

A toll-collection system in south Louisiana is riddled with problems and may take $10 million to replace, the legislative auditor said.

The issue involves the $161 million Leeville bridge over Bayou Lafourche on La. 1, where the state began collecting fees in August 2009.

The bridge is part of a larger project to improve traffic flow on a corridor used to haul a large portion of the nation's crude oil and natural gas supplies.

Toll revenue is supposed to repay borrowing costs to build the bridge. Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera said in a report dated Dec. 15 that the toll system has been hampered by major problems on what a consultant called a weekly or even daily basis.

"The estimated cost to replace the system exceeds $10 million,"  the report stated.

Sherri LeBas, secretary for the state Department of Transportation and Development, said in a written response that replacing the toll collection system is one of the options.

"We will perform an assessment regarding whether the continual usage of this system is in the best interest of the state,"  LeBas said.

Deciding whether a new system is put in place could take six months.

Officials at DOTD, like other state agencies, are scrambling for resources amid forecasts of a $1.6 billion drop in revenue.

Purpera noted the toll problems trim the very revenue that is supposed to repay costs to build the bridge.

Most car drivers who use the bridge pay $2.50 per round trip.

The top charge is $12 for big trucks.

The bridge features open-road tolling, which means there is no collection station. Tolls are generally collected electronically with overhead equipment that reads a transponder on the car or truck.

The audit says that:

■  Toll system employees are unable to view images of potential violators.

■  Erroneous violation notices are common.

■  Repeat violations are not sent to the state Office of Motor Vehicles to block renewal of the driver's vehicle registration.

The system under fire was developed by Electronic Transaction Consultants Corp., which quit working on the project Jan. 15. That firm is in litigation with DOTD.

LeBas said an emergency system is being run by Diversified Technology Services LLC.

A top DOTD official told lawmakers in October that traffic volume over the bridge  is about half of what was predicted.

The bridge is part of a project that includes construction of a seven-mile, elevated highway from the bridge south to Port Fourchon. That section is set to open next year.

The final phase, which still needs funding, is the construction of a nine-mile elevated highway between Leeville and Golden Meadow.

[The Premier]

Isn't there a similar issue with the toll collection system on the Crescent City Connection in New Orleans?

[brownpelican]

If I am not mistaken, the transponders CCC travelers use are compatible with the LA 1 tolls. The ones with the Causeway aren't.

But to answer your question, CCC has a similar problem, but they also don't go after those who don't pay cash tolls. They were in the middle of replacing the toll collection system there, but the contractor quit in the early stages of it. LADOT said it would cost about $10 million to replace it.

[allniter89]

imagine that!!!  mishandled money by the government in Lousiana!!  who'da thunk it??? 
Removed an assortment of colors and an extra smiley.  Really, what?

[UptownRoadGeek]

If I am not mistaken, the transponders CCC travelers use are compatible with the LA 1 tolls. The ones with the Causeway aren't.

There all compatible. The CCC and LA-1 are the exact same system where as to use them on the Causeway and vice versa you have to go to the office and have your tag linked to the respective system.