[StBernard] Big Twin Span Change Set For Wednesday

[Westley Annis]

Big Twin Span Change Set For Wednesday
Construction On Target To End In Mid-2010
WDSU.com
updated 7:57 p.m. CT, Mon., April 5, 2010
NEW ORLEANS, La. - WDSU .com

Work crews this Wednesday will shift traffic onto the second of two new
bridges that constitute the Twin Span, transportation officials announced.

The move follows a similar shift last year onto the first bridge to be
completed in the $800 million project.

The transition will begin about 9 a.m. and will take most of the day. It is
expected to wrap up about 12 hours later.

The old Twin Span was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Crews hurried
to make temporary repairs while launching plans for a taller replacement
that could better withstand such storms.

During Wednesday's adjustment, westbound drivers are likely to experience
significant delays. Alternate routes include the U.S. 11 bridge, which runs
parallel to the Twin Span, and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway farther west.

Though the move means vehicles will no longer use the old bridge spans, it
does not mark the end of construction. Drivers will temporarily share the
eastbound approaches on both sides of Lake Pontchartrain to reach the new
bridge.

Completion of the westbound approach won't happen until the old spans are
demolished. Work on the entire project is expected to wrap up in mid-2012,
according to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.

The Twin Span serves as the primary link between Slidell and New Orleans.