‘Field of Dreams’ taking shape
March 12, 2013
Perception woes dog Randolph
March 12, 2013
Lafourche residents and truck drivers passing through have a new bridge to ease their commutes.
Public officials on Friday cut the ribbon on the new, $31 million six-lane lift bridge spanning Bayou Lafourche in Larose.
“Our community will greatly benefit from this new structure with improved travel times and an additional primary emergency evacuation route,” said Parish President Charlotte Randolph in a printed statement.
The lift bridge links La. highways 308 and 3235 through the La. Highway 625 alignment. It is located a quarter-mile from – and replaces – a 53-year-old two-lane pontoon bridge that, like all floating bridges, was occasionally closed for maintenance and repairs.
State Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Sherri LeBas said, with the new bridge, the state has pumped nearly $74 million into the parish in the last five years.
“Delivering this project means improved access, efficiency and safety for important industry partners and thousands of Louisiana residents,” LeBas said.
The bridge’s span is one of the longest in the state at 84-feet by 122-feet, according to DOTD. Dual columns on each side are 96 feet in height. The project also included drainage installation, roadway widening and the construction of a new bridge tender’s house.
James Construction Group, headquartered Baton Rouge, won the bid to build to the bridge.
“Projects like these stimulate economic growth, improve infrastructure and create jobs for thousands of Louisiana residents,” said state Rep. Jerry “Truck” Gisclair, D-Larose.
Local, state and federal dignitaries lauded the bridge as an important element in the ever-evolving quest to craft reliable infrastructure linking U.S. Highway 90 to Port Fourchon.
“Our main goal is to ensure that we continue to improve the safety and reliability of the LA 1 Corridor’s transportation network,” said Ted Falgout, chairman of the LA 1 Coalition board of directors.
Because of its funding source, the bridge opening held also congressional political significance.
”Having this as one more piece of the La. 1 corridor is going to be real important to creating more jobs in Louisiana and moving more energy throughout the country,” Congressman Steve Scalise, R-District 1, said in a printed statement.
On social media the Louisiana Democratic Party pointed out that Scalise, who was in attendance for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, voted against the stimulus bill that dedicated the money to build the bridge.
Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-LA, said in a printed statement that she was the only member of the current congressional delegation to vote for the stimulus bill.
“The newly opened Larose Lift Bridge improves the transportation network servicing Port Fourchon and Grand Isle,” she said. “This project is a prime example of why I think the Congressional assault on all discretionary spending is short-sighted and dangerous.”
Traffic moves through the much-anticipated Larose Lift Bridge.
