Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Advances $6.5 Million Steel Structure Repair on Crescent City Connection

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 8, the high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in both directions on the Crescent City Connection in New Orleans, Louisiana, reopened ahead of schedule. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced on November 10 that construction crews have completed bridge inspections and the installation of traffic separation devices, restoring normal operation of the HOV lanes. Currently, the rightmost lane on the citybound No. 2 bridge, which connects the two banks of the Mississippi River, remains closed as the $6.5 million steel structure repair project continues.

The project primarily involves maintenance of the vertical steel trusses and their connections on the No. 2 bridge. The scope of work includes surface cleaning, sandblasting, localized steel plate reinforcement, and application of protective anti-corrosion coatings on the steel structures. Crews will remove corrosion and debris from the surfaces of steel members in the repair areas, repair affected steel connection points, reinforce connections by adding steel plates, and finally apply protective coatings to mitigate further corrosion caused by long-term exposure to humid conditions. Protective containment structures will also be installed in the work areas to control debris generated by sandblasting and cleaning operations, preventing impacts on the area beneath the bridge and the surrounding environment.

The project is being carried out by Southern Road and Bridge. The overall construction period is expected to last approximately 18 months, comprising two phases: steel structure repair on the main span and subsequent repair of the HOV lanes. During construction, three citybound lanes will remain open around the clock, while the rightmost lane will remain closed to provide space for equipment staging and inspection and repair of steel members on the outer side of the bridge. The bridge carries approximately 160,000 vehicles per day, and transportation authorities are mitigating the impact on commuter traffic through phased lane closures and temporary lane openings.

The rightmost closed lane is scheduled to temporarily reopen on January 29, 2027, to accommodate traffic demand during Mardi Gras, and will be closed again after the festival for continued repairs. The HOV lanes will subsequently undergo phased single-lane repairs. This project involves only the citybound No. 2 bridge and does not affect the other bridge in the westbound direction.