LA 30 (Nicholson Drive) bridge south of Brightside will reopen in approximately five weeks
Friday, July 14, 2017 at 12:25:17 PM
BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced today that the emergency bridge closure on LA 30 (Nicholson Drive), which is about 500 feet southeast of Brightside Drive and before Gardere Lane in East Baton Rouge Parish, will be in effect for approximately five weeks, weather permitting. The bridge was closed on July 10 for crews to assess damage and to make emergency repairs.
The bridge is scheduled to be replaced in early 2018, but a routine inspection found the timber-supported bridge has severe deterioration in most of its substructure, which required immediate closure. To keep the bridge in service until it can be replaced, DOTD is driving piles and reinforcing the timber with steel. This type of repair is common for timber bridges and is the quickest method to implement. Once the bridge is ultimately replaced, DOTD will salvage the materials that are being installed now.
The detour route for drivers heading southeast on LA 30 (Nicholson Drive) is to take Lee Drive to Burbank Drive, or take Burbank Drive directly from LA 30 near LSU, then proceed to Gardere Lane or Bluebonnet Boulevard and then back to LA 30. For drivers heading northwest, take Bluebonnet Boulevard or Gardere Lane to Burbank Drive and then Lee Dr. back to LA 30, or just stay on Burbank to connect with LA 30 near LSU.