Crashes that damage guard rails don’t just cause delays during the crash. Road repairs also have to be made. Guard rails are a safety feature that keeps cars from flying off the road into dangerous locations or off bridges. This means that when a crash happens on a major bridge like the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge, you can expect road crews will be out in a hurry to repair the damage.
Two closures on the bridge have been announced by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, according to MyArkLaMiss.com. They plan on closing the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge from mile marker 117 to mile marker 136 with alternating lane and shoulder closures.
The purpose of the closures is to do repairs to the guard rails and to repair some issues with bridge joints. Bridge joints allow bridges to expand and contract with weather conditions and avoid breaking apart, but they need maintenance.
Entrance and exit ramps on the bridge will be open to traffic. The closures will happen between 8:30 p.m. and 7 a.m., one on January 5 and the other on January 12, weather permitting.
We would like to remind the public to take care while driving in construction zones. Brave workers risk their lives to keep our roads safe. If you hit one while they’re working, you’ll face increased penalties.
