Construction crews have discovered that the ramps leading to Louisiana’s Bell Chasse Bridge are sinking.
The ground settlement exceeded their initial expectations and is now prompting remediation work, according to the contractor.
Joe Donahue, Louisiana Transportation Secretary, told the Joint Legislative Committee on Transportation the ramps don’t meet state standards and specifications on Monday.
“Whenever you settle two inches or five inches, may not seem like a lot when you’re looking at an enormous bridge and everything else, but it matters,” said Donahue at a meeting with the committee.
The moveable bridge began operating in 1968 and the tunnel in 1956, providing travel over the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway on Louisiana Highway 23. With both nearing the end of their design lifespan, transportation officials determined it was time for a replacement.
Crews began work in 2020. When it’s complete, the new fixed-span bridge will include four lanes, wider shoulders, and a bicycle path.
The structure was set to reopen in spring, and its southbound lanes are already open. However, a new opening date seems far off as crews work to repair the sinkage.
“The engineers are actively evaluating the settlement under the approaches to the new Belle Chasse Bridge and will provide further information as it becomes available,” said a spokesperson for the bridge construction contractor to WWL Louisiana. “Remediation work is currently underway – starting with investigation and removals, which will cause some traffic impacts, including traffic shifts, lane closures, and roadway restriping.”
As part of the potential fix, the ramps will be rebuilt.
The new bridge would replace the old Judge Perez vertical-lift bridge over the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway and the Belle Chasse Tunnel.
According to the contractor, construction of the new bridge sits at 92% complete.
The developer is now being assessed $10,000 a day in damages.
According to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, tolls will not be implemented on the new Belle Chasse Bridge until a fix is found to the sinkage problem and that potential fix is approved by the state.
Source: WWLTV.com, WDSU.com
