BATON ROUGE, LA – State Rep. Michael Echols unveiled what he called a “multi-layered infrastructure strategy” today, proposing that Louisiana name the long-delayed Baton Rouge Mississippi River bridge after Donald J. Trump while also including a casino and steakhouse on the structure to help secure federal support.
Echols said the bridge project has spent decades trapped in studies, planning phases, and committees formed to review earlier committees, suggesting it may be time to try something more creative.
“For years we’ve relied on traffic studies and engineering reports,” Echols said. “But if naming the bridge after President Trump and adding a casino and steakhouse gets Washington’s attention, then we’re willing to explore that option.”
Trump appeared receptive to the idea when asked about the proposal.
“I heard about this bridge and they’re saying it’s going to be tremendous, huge, maybe one of the biggest bridges anywhere,” Trump said. “And this Echols guy wants to name it after Trump, which I appreciate. Very classy, good guy, this Echols. I also hear there’s a casino and a steakhouse on the bridge, which frankly is a very smart idea. Who doesn’t love a good Trump steak? People are gonna drive there just to see this thing, this big beautiful bridge.”
Transportation officials say the proposal could finally move the bridge project out of its current phase of “basically never” and into the more encouraging category of “actively talking about it again.”
