"No quick fix" for closed Highway 90 bridges
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Drivers heading west on Interstate 10 from Mississippi to New Orleans can expect miles of standstill traffic as repairs are made to the East Pearl River Bridge at the state line.
- The delays are expected to last until Aug. 11.
Why it matters: I-10 is the main corridor through south Louisiana and connects New Orleans with popular beach destinations in Florida and Alabama.
- It's also an important hurricane evacuation route.
- Delays have been averaging about an hour on weekends, resulting in motorists looking for detours.
- The I-10 bridge is being repaired after several large wrecks during the past year.
Driving the news: One of the main detours — Highway 90/Chef Menteur Highway through rural St. Tammany Parish — closed a year ago when Department of Transportation and Development inspectors found structural issues with the West Pearl River Bridge.
- Calls for repairs grew louder last week and made their way to the fringes of the campaign for Louisiana's next governor.
- Shawn Wilson recently retired as DOTD secretary and is now the Democratic frontrunner in the gubernatorial race.
Catch up quick: The West Pearl River Bridge is 90 years old and was closed in May 2022 because of structural deterioration.
- The deterioration is significant enough to require the bridge to be replaced, DOTD spokesman Daniel Gitlin tells Axios. "Repair is not a feasible solution."
- Four other bridges that cross the West Pearl and its tributaries also need to be replaced, he says.
- The project's current timeline is for bids to start in 2025 with construction lasting three years.
By the numbers: It will cost an estimated $250 million to replace the current roadway from the West Pearl bridge through Mississippi, including the five bridges, Gitlin says.
- The state has yet to secure the money, with Gitlin noting it exceeds the state's annual statewide budget for bridge construction.
- The state also has an $18.8 billion backlog of construction and repair needs, he added.
Between the lines: Many of the state's roads and bridges in need of work have higher traffic counts than the U.S. 90 bridges, Gitlin says.
- "Unfortunately, there is no quick fix that will address the U.S. 90 bridges crossing the Pearl River," he said in a statement.
Yes, but: St. Tammany leaders say the bridge closures are needed for daily life and hurricane evacuations.
- St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper told Fox 8 he is "deeply concerned" about the closures.
- And state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, who is an underdog Republican candidate in the governor's race, called out Wilson in an open letter, criticizing the closure, and asked for the construction to be expedited.
- The letter was also signed by state Rep. Bob Owen, who like Hewitt is from Slidell.
- Wilson told the Louisiana Illuminator that "she is misinformed" in regard to Hewitt's claim that Highway 90 is a designated evacuation route. He also said he coordinated with his counterparts in Mississippi about the closure.
Detours: A few alternative routes are available for I-10 and Highway 90 drivers per DOTD.
- Westbound I-10: Take the exit for Highway 603. Take 603 to Texas Flat Road. Take that to Highway 607 and then head to Highway 59. You can also exit at Highway 607, but the traffic is usually backed up past this exit on I-10.
- Eastbound 90: Take U.S. 190 west to U.S. 190 Business (Fremaux Ave.) to I-10 eastbound. Proceed on I-10 east to MS 607 to U.S. 90 east.
- Westbound 90: Take MS 607 to I-10 west. Proceed on I-10 west to U.S. 190 Business (Fremaux Avenue) to U.S. 190 east. Note: This detour will get you stuck in construction traffic on I-10.
- Other evacuations routes include Louisiana 433 north of the Rigolets pass and U.S. 11 south of the Chef Menteur pass.