Final Girder Set On Miss. River Bridge

NEW ROADS, La. (AP) — The last girder has been set in place for a new Mississippi River bridge linking Pointe Coupee and West Feliciana parishes.

When the bridge opens, the state will end ferry service between the parishes. That could happen by summer. A ceremony for the last girder was Wednesday.

Officials say the 1,583-foot-long main span is the longest cable-stayed span in the Western Hemisphere. The bridge is held up by cables anchored to a 500-foot-tall tower near each bank. It's high enough so it won't interfere with barge traffic on the busy river.

Pointe Coupee Parish Director of Economic Development Scott Byrd says the $408 million investment will mean increased tourism and could increase retail business.