Sunshine bridge remains closed, second Plaquemine ferry extends hours
Sunday, October 14, 2018 at 11:48:49 AM
Baton Rouge – The Sunshine Bridge/LA 70 will remain closed indefinitely due to the damage caused by a barge collision Friday morning. Upon further inspection during the weekend, it has been determined that the damage is extensive and several vital components of the bridge are in need of repair.
“Our hope was to be able to use a portion of the bridge for traffic while emergency repairs were being made,” said DOTD Secretary Shawn D. Wilson, Ph.D. “However, that is not the case. We will be working on plans to make the repairs as quickly as possible and will develop a timeline for when the work will be completed. I know this is an inconvenience for the more than 25,000 travelers who use this bridge, but it is not safe to open it to traffic at this time. The Department has worked closely with legislators and local officials to update them on the situation and to try to minimize impacts as much as possible.”
Additionally, because of heavy traffic volume due to the continued closure, the second Plaquemine ferry will operate until 6 p.m. Sunday. The first ferry will continue its extended weekend hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. On weekdays, the second boat will also run an hour longer, until 10 a.m., in the mornings and will start an hour earlier, 1:30 p.m., in the afternoons. The Department will continue to monitor traffic and will adjust as necessary.
Motorists are also encouraged to use the Veterans Memorial Bridge as an alternate river crossing. Motorists should prepare for delays as those who regularly use the Sunshine Bridge will be using alternate routes.
Call 511 or visit www.511la.org for additional travel information. Out-of-state travelers may call 1-800-ROAD-511 (1-800-762-3511). Motorists may also monitor the LA DOTD website at www.dotd.la.gov, by selecting MYDOTD, or by visiting the DOTD Facebook and Twitter pages.