DOTD announces repairs and additional safety measures underway at Grand Lake Pontoon Bridge on LA 384
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 2:04:05 PM
Calcasieu and Cameron Parish – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announces that efforts to enhance the resiliency and maintain operations at the Grand Lake Pontoon Bridge on LA 384 are underway. These repairs and additional safety measures should take three months to complete.
Crews on September 21, 2026, began work on the northeast fender. Repairs to additional fenders will follow once work on the northeast fender is complete. Other repair work includes rebuilding the closing sheave platform in a new location.
To enhance the safety of the crossing, additional pile clusters will be installed. These improvements will provide additional protection for the bridge and help maintain proper alignment for maritime traffic as vessels navigate through the crossing.
(Damaged northeast fender system that was struck by a vessel on June 24, 2026)
(Crews removed the damaged northeast fender system)
The Black Bayou Pontoon Bridge remains out of service after being damaged by a barge strike on June 22, 2026. It is expected to remain out of service for the next 12 to 24 months for repairs.
To help lower DOTD emergency response times at Grand Lake Pontoon Bridge, DOTD has staged resources and equipment at the bridge to manually close the pontoon if a winch or cable failure occurs.
DOTD continues to work with emergency preparedness officials on contingency plans in the event of a catastrophic bridge failure or vessel allision.
The Grand Lake Pontoon Bridge is operating under the following schedule.
· 5 a.m. until 8 a.m. OPEN to vehicle traffic; CLOSED to marine traffic
· 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. NORMAL OPERATIONS
· 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. MARINE vessels receive priority. VEHICLE traffic should expect delays
The schedule at Grand Lake Pontoon Bridge will remain in place while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continue performing significant repairs to Calcasieu Lock. Repairs to Calcasieu Lock are scheduled to continue through Saturday, October 31, 2026.
Motorists are encouraged to register with 511 or visit www.511la.org for the latest updates on the status of movable bridges. The public is encouraged to register to receive MyDOTD notices when the operating status of bridges changes or visit the DOTD website, www.dotd.la.gov accounts on social media outlets, such as Facebook and X.
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