DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / October 25, 2000

SOUTH VACHERIE – Since 1961 the bridge on Louisiana Highway 20 has helped motorists over Bayou Chevreuil. After 40 years the traffic has outgrown thebridge, which allows a maximum of 35 tons to pass over the span.

“The bridge and road has taken more traffic than it was designed for,” said Jimmy Brazan, district seven St. James Parish councilman. Brazan put fortha resolution at the St. James Parish Council meeting Oct. 18 to request theLouisiana Department of Transportation and Development to make improvements and look toward replacing the bridge as soon as possible.

With the bridge slowly deteriorating, trucks hauling more than 35 tons have to use Interstate Highway 310 or Louisiana Highway 182. The detour is oftenmore than 100 miles out of a trucker’s way.

The DOTD is planning to widen and improve La. 20 after complaints due to thehigh amount of dangerous accidents that have occurred on the stretch of road.

Currently the DOTD is looking to replace the bridge in the next five years, said Gordon Nelson, DOTD district six administrator. The bridge span rightnow can’t handle the load of any weight above 35 tons, he added.

The DOTD informed the parish Monday it would soon try to upgrade the bridge to a 50 ton multi-axle load. New pre-poured concrete panels will be added,and the metal grill in the bridge will be replaced. The panels must be cast andcured before being placed on the bridge, so the beginning of the repair work would depend on when they would be finished. Then the repair time on thebridge would be about two months.

“There is a lot of misconception that the bridge would be closed down again,” said Brazan. The bridge would actually only be closed for repair from 6 p.m.to 6 a.m. “The bridge would stay open all day,” Brazan explained.Gordon stated that no specific dates have been arranged for the repairs, but DOTD would inform the parish when it has been scheduled.

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