DOTD expects to have La. 70 passable by Monday

State officials are working to place barriers along flooded sections of La. 70 in lower St. Martin Parish and hope to have the highway more easily passable to vehicle traffic by Monday.

Standing water on La. 70 in lower St. Martin Parish has become a recurring problem this year due to backwater flooding from the Atchafalaya River. About six years ago, officials raised the highway about 4 inches, because that was the high water mark that had been reached at the time over the highway, said Shawn Wilson, secretary of the state Department of Transportation and Development.

But one of the wettest years on record has caused 7 to 8 inches of standing water to accumulate on portions of La. 70. Officials were challenged with trying to find a way to create barriers to hold the water back. Authorities attempted to use water-filled barriers and water tubes, known as Tiger Dams. However, those dams began to float and move with the wake caused by vehicles traveling on the highway, Wilson said.

Therefore, DOTD officials found a new product, called Barrier Force, earlier this week. That product is “basically a sown together, chain link manufactured sand bag,” that is 4 feet wide at its base, Wilson said.

On Friday morning, workers began placing about half a mile of those links on each side of La. 70. Water will then be pumped from the roadway until water on La. 70 is at “a much more passable and safer level,” Wilson said.

Wilson anticipates that work will take two to three days to complete.

The product should have sufficient stability “to get us through the high water season,” Wilson said.

The Bayou Chene closure will only affect the amount of new water coming toward La. 70.

“Just the sinking of the barge does not necessarily reduce the water levels that we see on 70, but it could potentially stunt the acceleration of the rise in that water level,” Wilson said.

As of Friday, officials were still advising cars and other low vehicles to avoid that stretch of highway. Higher vehicles, such as trucks, may proceed but do so with caution.

Officials are attempting to do the dewatering work of La. 70 without having to close the highway to traffic. But drivers should still drive cautiously. Wilson asks that those who don’t need to travel on La. 70 to avoid the area this weekend.