The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has announced that the deadline for executing the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for the Interstate 10 widening project has been extended to February 1, 2024, in Louisiana, USA.

The undertaking encompasses the construction of a fresh Calcasieu River Bridge spanning Lake Charles and Westlake. The DOTD and Calcasieu Bridge Partners have agreed to prolong the deadline for finalizing the PPP contract by 60 days. Initially set to lapse on December 3, 2023, the PPP proposal submitted by Calcasieu Bridge Partners on June 6, 2023, will remain valid for an extended period. This agreement allows for further limited negotiations and the attainment of requisite approvals, with the primary aim of advancing the project's progress.

The current I-10 bridge is structurally deficient and overcapacity, experiencing daily traffic exceeding 70,876 vehicles. It was built in 1952 and doesn't meet modern safety and traffic flow standards. The new bridge would be eight lanes wide, including an auxiliary lane in each direction. Its center would be 170 feet north of the existing bridge, requiring the current one's removal.