Letter: La. 1 toll kiosk model a failure

December 14, 2012

1 Comments

Uncollected tolls?

Oddly, the state spent $365 million to build the La. 1 toll bridge to Grand Isle, but someone — oops! — forgot to include drive-through toll booths located at the entrance to the bridge. As an afterthought and for the convenience of all — someone came up with the idea of off-the-road kiosk toll both.

To pay the toll, a driver must first keep a watchful eye for the rare sign(s) designating the location of the “off-the-road kiosk” where a driver must pull into a parking lot, park, get out of the car, walk, and wait in line on foot to use a kiosk. Oh, and you will need to have your license plate memorized and be able to type it correctly to complete the transaction. The off-the-road kiosk has proven itself a failure as tolls stand uncollected by drivers who, for many reasons, do not stop at the kiosk.

I expect no one is taking credit for the idea of the off-the-road, toll-booth kiosk, and I doubt the idea has caught on elsewhere.

Donna Grodner

lawyer

Baton Rouge

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Comments (1)


1) Comment by Whatchange - 07/12/2012

As someone who fishing the Leeville and Fourchon areas 2-3 weekends a month, I don't understand where Ms. Donna is coming up with the rare sign(s), heck they are everywhere. Memorize ones license plate?, write it down on a piece of paper. One can get a pass at almost any convenience store as soon as you get on HWY 3235. One can also get a "GEAUXPASS", that way you don't have to stop, and you can add money to it on line or set it up with a credit card to renew monies when its get low and its also good at the Crescent City Toll. Hey, I understand the state messed up big time with the toll booth situation, any moron knew what was going to happen if they counted on the public to be honest, but Ms. Donna is just mad because she has to get out of her car to buy a pass because she doesn't want to buy a "GEAUXPASS". Now what gets me is the residents of Grand Isle only pay I believe dollar , they should be paying the same as anybody else, heck, the state isn't giving the residents of New Orleans a break on the toll.