BATON ROUGE, La. – The Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) today announced it is reducing the weight limit for trucks on the westbound lanes of the I-10 “twin-span” bridge from 80,000 pounds to 70,000 pounds to cut down on damage to the metal bridge panels.
The 70,000-pound weight limit applies to all truck and trailer combinations. The limit for single vehicles is 40,000 pounds. The new weight limit will be in effect until further notice.
Loads weighing more than 70,000 pounds but less than 90,000 pounds can use the Causeway Bridge as an alternate route. All other loads can use I-55.
The westbound span of the bridge between Slidell and New Orleans, which was badly damaged during Hurricane Katrina, was partly repaired with prefabricated bridge sections to form two 12-foot lanes. DOTD engineers who are monitoring the bridge have found that the sections can withstand a 70,000-pound limit.
If the weight reduction doesn’t help to decrease the damage to the bridge, DOTD will consider more restrictive measures, according to Gordon Nelson, assistant secretary of operations.
Lanes will occasionally be closed for inspection and repairs, but all closures will be done during non-peak traffic times.
Both eastbound and westbound spans are still closed to all oversize and overweight permit loads. If you have any questions regarding oversize and overweight loads, contact DOTD’s Truck Permit Office at 1-800-654-1433.
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