[StBernard] DOTD to close Judge Seeber Bridge for rehabilitation

[Westley Annis]

BATON ROUGE, La. - The Louisiana Department of Transportation and
Development (DOTD) announced a total closure of the Judge Seeber Bridge over
the Industrial Canal for approximately two months.  The bridge will remain
closed to vehicular traffic seven days a week, 24 hours a day, beginning
March 15 and lasting until approximately mid-May.  DOTD advises that the
completion date is subject to change to allow for the final portion of the
project, bridge re-decking, to commence mid-summer when traffic is less
heavy and school is not in session.  

Until March 15, the bridge will remain closed for repairs on weekdays,
excluding weekends and holidays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

The closure is part of a $6.8 million rehabilitation project to replace the
wire ropes that raise and lower the bridge, refurbish the bridge's
electrical system, replace damaged beams that were struck by vessels and
oversized trucks and replace the bridge decking which will improve skid
resistance and eliminate the wave-action in the riding surface of the
bridge.  In addition, advanced signal notification features will be
installed to provide warning to motorists when the bridge is about to be
raised for marine traffic. 

DOTD recommends drivers detour via the La. 46 St. Claude Avenue Bridge or
the Florida Avenue Bridge.  Drivers can also take La. 47 (Paris Road) to
I-510/I-10 as an alternate route.

The St. Claude Avenue and Florida Avenue Bridges are draw bridges operated
by the Port of New Orleans which must open for marine traffic to pass
through the canal.  As these bridges open and close for marine traffic,
drivers should expect approximately fifteen minute delays.  Drivers should
note that marine traffic is prohibited from passing from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30
a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, or during an
emergency situation where first responders must cross.

In addition to the closures for vehicular traffic, there will be two
five-day closures for marine traffic between March 15 and April 2.  The
first five- day, 24-hours- a-day, closure will tentatively begin on March
15, depending on the United States Coast Guard's (U.S.G.S.) evaluation on
shipping schedules.  Following the first five-day closure, a two-to-seven
day window will be allowed to clear congested marine traffic and to
coordinate shipping schedules.  The second five-day, 24-hours-a-day, marine
closure will begin immediately once marine traffic is cleared and shipping
schedules are coordinated.

Learn more about the project by visiting the project's Web page at
www.dotd.la.gov. Click on "Projects" from the "Programs & Projects" section
of the main menu on the left-hand side of the page and select the "Judge
Seeber Bridge Maintenance Project" link.  You can also follow the project on
Facebook.  Once you open a Facebook account, you can access project
information by entering "Louisiana Department of Transportation and
Development" or "Judge Seeber Bridge (Claiborne Ave.) Maintenance Project."

For questions, or to sign-up to receive periodic e-mail updates on the
project, contact DOTD's Customer Service Center at DOTDCS at la.gov or
1-877-4LA-DOTD (1-877-452-3683).  The center's normal business hours are
7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 

 

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www.dotd.la.gov