¶Ù°¿±·´¡³¢¶Ù³§°¿±·³Õ±õ³¢³¢·¡Ìý— The Sunshine Bridge in St. James Parish will close at 6 a.m. Saturday for repairs and won't reopen until 5 a.m. Monday, requiring a brief return to lengthy detours required after a barge-mounted crane hit the span last fall.
Contractors for the state Department of Transportation and Development have been making emergency repairs to the bridge since the crane barge hit it in the early morning darkness Oct. 12, highway officials said.
The latest temporary closure of the Mississippi River span is happening so contractors can install important support pieces to the metal truss bridge, DOTD officials said. The repairs, which must happen under and along the bridge more than 100 feet above the river, were delayed last weekend due to poor weather.
GONZALES — A public hearing into what happened during an Oct. 12 bridge crash that shut the Sunshine Bridge for more than a month is scheduled…
The October barge crash forced the complete closure of the bridge and required extended detours by residents and businesses on the both sides of the river for a month and a half.
Though located entirely in St. James, the bridge southeast of Donaldsonville also serves as an important link for parishes split by the Mississippi, like Ascension and Iberville, and for workers along the river. Â
The four-lane bridge has had two lanes open since Dec. 1 after initial repairs and the replacement of key beams.
State highway officials have said the bridge repairs are on target for completion in early February.Â
In connection with the weekend closure, DOTD is also extending the hours of its ferry in Plaquemine on Saturday and Sunday. Boat 1 will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and boat 2 will run from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Normal ferry hours will resume Monday.
