DOTD Secretary joins mayor to urge Grand Isle residents to get GeauxPass
Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 3:10:34 PM

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary William D. Ankner joined Grand Isle Mayor David Camardelle on Thursday in urging Grand Isle residents to sign up for a GeauxPass so they can qualify for the resident rate and toll reimbursement.

"Mayor Camardelle and I want to set the record straight and stop the rumors that have circulated in the Grand Isle area," Ankner said Thursday. "All Grand Isle citizens should follow Mayor Camardelle’s lead and apply now for the GeauxPass for the new La. 1 Bridge. Residents who have a GeauxPass account will get the special resident rate and be eligible for reimbursement of tolls."

Mayor Camardelle received a $100,000 appropriation from the state to reimburse Grand Isle residents for their tolls on the new La. 1 Bridge for the next 12-15 months. The mayor and Grand Isle council are working with DOTD on details of how the reimbursements will be processed. An announcement on the reimbursement procedure is expected some time next week.

To make the GeauxPass registration process more convenient, residents can now sign up for an account at www.GeauxPass.com. The Customer Service Center, 1821 La. 3235 in Golden Meadow, will be open for extended hours this weekend, during the Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo. The extended hours are:

Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After 7 p.m. Sunday, the center will be open 24/7 to handle the initial rush of customers signing up for the passes. Drivers also can call the Customer Service Center toll free at 1-866-662-8987 to sign up or to get information.

Drivers who already have a Crescent City Connection toll tag and account do not need to get a GeauxPass. Their CCC tag will work on the La. 1 Bridge.

The La. 1 Bridge is one of the first in the country to use an all-electronic toll system, which operates without the need for tollbooths or coin collection units. The transponder is the centerpiece of the toll collection system. Tolls are collected electronically by overhead equipment that "reads" the transponder. Meanwhile, a high-speed camera snaps a picture of each license plate traveling through the gantry, to ensure that the car has registered and pre-paid the toll.