Interstate 10 Atchafalaya Basin Bridge Highlights Traffic Closures on Bridges Across South Louisiana

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) - For the next two weeks, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is shining a spotlight on bridges across South Louisiana. From regular maintenance to improvements, DOTD crews will be out working to make the bridges safer to drive on.

Interstate 10 Atchafalaya Basin Bridge to Have Lane Closures

Let's start with the most recognizable and highly traveled bridge on the DOTD list - the Basin Bridge in St. Martin and Iberville Parishes on I-10. There will be various lane closures happening tonight (Wednesday) that you should be aware of:

• There will be separate lane closures for installation of new navigational lights in the vicinity of Lake Pelba, Atchafalaya River and Whiskey Bay River. The westbound outside lane will be closed from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. on Thursday morning. This will happen from mile marker 123.0 to 121.9 (Atchafalaya River) and 128.7 - 127.2 (Whiskey Bay River). Crews worked on the eastbound inside lane from mile marker 120.1 to 121.1 (Lake Pelba) on Tuesday night.
• There will be alternate lane closures in both directions as crews conduct a sweeping operation from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, on the stretch of I-10 to the west of the Basin Bridge, there will be a slow moving operation happening in the travel lanes in both directions. Workers will be installing raised pavement markers in one travel lane at a time from mile marker 108 to mile marker 117 beginning Tuesday, March 14, and ending on Friday, March 17. This will happen nightly from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

Daytime Bridge/Lane Closures Happening on I-10 in Acadia Parish

Let us head down I-10 west where routine bridge inspections will be happening across Acadia Parish on Tuesday, March 14 and Thursday, March 16.

• I-10 Westbound Between Exit 80 - LA 13 (Crowley, Eunice) and Exit 76 - LA 91 (Estherwood, Iota): There will be alternating outside lane closures happening from 8:00 a.m.to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
• LA 13 (Crowley Eunice Highway), approximately 0.7 miles north of I-10: There will be alternating lane closures happening from 12:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
• LA 100 (Egan Highway), approximately 0.6 miles west of LA 13: There will be alternating lane closures happening from 1:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
• I-10 eastbound between Exit 76 - LA 91 (Esterwood, Iota) and Exit 80 - LA 13 (Crowley, Eunice): There will be alternating lane closures happening from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Thursday.

In all closures, the roads will be open to regular traffic with a 16-foot lane restriction on oversized loads passing through the work zone. Emergency vehicles will have access to the area.

Daytime Traffic Closures Happening on the Atchafalaya River Bridge, Bayou Ramous Bridge, Bayou Boeuf Bridge, and Oaklawn Bridge in St. Mary Parish

For those of you headed east to St. Mary Parish, there will be some daytime construction happening on four bridges on Thursday, March 9.

• There will be alternating lane closures happening in both directions on US 90 on the Atchafalaya River Bridge, Bayou Ramous Bridge, and Bayou Boeuf Bridge as workers will sweep the bridge shoulders from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• LA 323 at the Oaklawn Bridge between LA 87 and Irish Bend Road will be closed for construction activities on the movable bridge from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Emergency vehicles will not have access through the area during the hours of closure. The detour will consist of LA 87, LA 182 and LA 322.
• MONDAY CLOSURE: There will be alternating lane closures happening on US 90 in both directions between LA 3211 (Franklin) and LA 3215 (Garden City, Franklin) as crews perform routine bridge inspections. This will happen on Monday, March 13 from 8:0-0 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The road will be open to regular traffic with 16-foot lane restrictions on oversized loads passing through the work zone. Emergency vehicles will have access to the area.

Daytime Traffic Closures Happening on Pinhook Road in Lafayette

If you have driven down Pinhook Road in Lafayette, you know that there is a particular stretch of the often-traveled roadway that is a bit challenging (and kind of dangerous) to navigate. It's the slim stretch between the bridge over the Vermilion River and its intersection with University Avenue.

Well, that stretch is currently experiencing intermittent lane closures from now through Tuesday, March 21. Workers with Lafayette Consolidated Government are applying new lining on the inside of subsurface drainage pipes.

LCG crews are working more specifically on the stretch of Pinhook Road between Mall Street and Jomela Drive, closing the northbound and southbound outside lanes but only one side at a time in small sections.

The contractor is scheduled to have the lanes closed during day and evening hours excluding the following times:

• 7:00 a.m. -  8:30 a.m.
• 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Daytime Traffic Closures Happening at Johnston Street Intersection Until May 1st

The J-Turn installation project continues on Johnston Street, which is causing traffic closures at its intersection with Duhon Road/Southcity Parkway as DOTD says workers are building additional turn lanes on Johnston Street at the intersection.

The left turn lanes in the southbound and northbound directions at the intersection are closed now until Monday, May 1, 2023, weather permitting.

Also, the Johnston Street crossovers at Palms Boulevard/Chateau Des Lions Boulevard and Middlepark Drive/Fountainhead Drive are now permanently closed to vehicular traffic.

Daytime Traffic Closures at LA 93 (Apollo Road) In Scott 

On Saturday, Brents Loop at its intersection with LA 93 (Apollo Road) in Scott will be closed from 7:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., weather permitting. DOTD crews will be installing asphalt concrete at the intersection.

The road will be closed to thru traffic but emergency vehicles will still have access to the area.

New Roundabout Being Built on Gloria Switch Road & Mills Street

Another roundabout is being built in Lafayette, this one at the intersection of W. Gloria Switch Road and Mills Street.

Construction on the north portion of that roundabout began in January as Mills Street from Benoit Road to LA 98 (W. Gloria Switch Rd.) is closed until Monday, April 3rd.

Detour Route

• The detour for northbound traffic will be LA 98 (Gloria Switch) east to Desoto Rd., north to Benoit Rd and west to Mills St.
• The detour for southbound traffic will be Benoit Rd. east to Desoto Rd., south to LA 98 (Gloria Switch) and west to Mills St.
• Emergency vehicles have not had access through the area and should utilize the detour routes.