Traffic will increase significantly

Bridge already at capacity

In 2008, the average traffic flow on the Crescent City Connection was recorded at 180,000 to 190,000 vehicles per day. Bridge capacity is 7200 vehicles per hour. Anything over that results in what we commonly call “backup.”  Backup is already reached every weekday during commute hours.

There are 2.9 million users of the three ferries each year, 1.2 million at Canal Street alone. If the Canal Street ferry does not attract privatization, the DOTD has declared they will cease service. Those riders will have no other option across the river except to take the bridge.  When Federal City reaches occupancy in 2013, many of those 11,000 workers will become bridge commuters as well. Between the two factors, it is estimated as many as 8,000 vehicles might join the weekday commute over the Crescent City Connection.

Onramp Closures

Contrary to popular belief, it is the funneling of twelve lanes into four that creates the bottleneck, not the toll booths. In fact, the toll plazas actually meter traffic allowing for a safer merge. Engineers say that for a safe merge, there should be no more than three lanes of traffic funneling into one if the toll plazas were to be removed. The only way to accomplish this is to shut down lanes and close onramps.

These are some of the options DOTD engineers put before the Task Force.

• Jefferson Parish traffic on the Westbank Expressway would go from 5 lanes to 2
• Terry Parkway would be restricted to one lane
• General DeGaulle would be restricted from 3 lanes to 1
• Additional onramps would be would be metered or closed during peak hours

In all scenarios, engineers determined lines would be longer and drive times increased.

Reduction in officers from 25 to two  

Currently the Bridge Police employs 25 officers who work 24 hours per day, seven days per week. They patrol over 13 miles of bridge as well as the ferries and their terminals. 

In 2010, the Bridge Police

• responded to over 28,000 service calls
• investigated 1542 crashes
• issued 8,200 citations and 2799 warnings
• removed 5009 disabled vehicles
• made 631 arrests, 82 of which were for DWIs. 

A 2001 Louisiana State Police study concluded it would be “difficult for the jurisdictions, either individually or collectively, to maintain the service provided by the CCCPD.”   

On February 23, 2012, the DOTD informed local officials that two State Troopers would be assigned to the Bridge – but only at peak drive times.  And if they were needed elsewhere, they would be redirected.  Because of state budget cuts, the LSP withdrew their request for funding and announced there will be no cadet class held this fiscal year.  

As for the local jurisdictions, both New Orleans and Gretna city officials have declared they cannot assign officers to the bridge.  In fact, the NOPD is currently down 200 officers and has 20 patrol cars out of service because there is no budget to fix them.  In addition, with New Orleans having the 13^th highest crime rate in the nation, NOLA Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer has stated she cannot, in good conscience, assign officers to patrol the bridge.

What will it cost to save 40 cents?

• National studies show that every 10 minutes of delay results in 40 minutes of backup traffic. 
• At current gas prices, every 17 minutes of engine idling eats up $.40 worth of gas

If a $10 per hour wage-earner was docked for being 30 minutes late to work, between the two factors, it would cost them $5.75.  But, of course, they would save the price of the toll tag: $.40.