ST. JAMES — The Sunshine Bridge/LA 70 over the Mississippi River remains closed indefinitely, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced, due to the damage caused by a barge collision.

DOTD has a contractor in place ready to make temporary repairs in order to reopen the bridge as quickly as possible.

“We are currently evaluating the damage and the ability to reinstate traffic on the bridge,” DOTD said.

LA 70 westbound traffic may detour by heading east on LA 3125, south on LA 3213 and crossing the Veterans Memorial Bridge, and west on LA 3127 to the junction of LA 70.

LA 70 eastbound traffic may detour by heading east on LA 3127, north on LA 3213 and crossing the Veterans Memorial Bridge, and west on LA 3125 to the junction of LA 70.

The second Plaquemine ferry began its afternoon operations Friday at 1:30 p.m. instead of 3:15 p.m. to accommodate additional traffic due to the bridge closure. It will run to its normal ending time of 7:15 p.m. Friday evening. Additionally, the weekend ferry will run extra hours, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. instead of 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Motorists traveling to the LSU football game Saturday are advised to use the Veterans Memorial Bridge in Gramercy, the ferry in Plaquemine or the Horace Wilkinson Bridge in Baton Rouge as alternate river-crossing routes.