WBRZ - Baton Rouge

State transportation officials say drivers paid $1.9 million in tolls during the first six months that the new Leeville bridge has been open.

That's less than the $2.4 million the state had hoped to take in by this time on the Tomey J. Doucet bridge, but it's still within the range forecast before the bridge opened in July.

Toll revenue is a concern because it's being used to repay $156 million in loans used to build the bridge, which spans Bayou Lafourche between Leeville and Grand Isle.