U.S. 90 bridge work set for the summer

Significant maintenance work is expected to start this summer on the U.S. 90 bridge over Berwick Bay, and the La. 182 bridge should see major work next year.

Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development officials recently signed a nearly $12 million contract with Seminole Equipment Inc., based in Tarpon Springs, Florida, to perform maintenance on the U.S. 90 bridge, said state Rep. Sam Jones, D-Franklin.

“We’re going to improve the bridge that most folks use,” Jones said. “But we’re going to save the old bridge that we need for the local economy and for evacuation purposes.”

The U.S. 90 bridge, formally called the E.J. “Lionel” Grizzaffi Bridge, opened in 1977, according to bridgehunter.com. Jones said it probably hasn’t undergone this thorough of maintenance since its opening.

Work on both the Grizzaffi bridge on U.S. 90 and Long-Allen Bridge on La. 182 is part of a bridge preservation program, DOTD spokeswoman Brandie Richardson said in an email. Maintenance on the Grizzaffi bridge will consist of removing old paint, repainting the bridge and doing some structural repairs, such as replacing some of the bolts and rivets, she said.

Maintenance for the U.S. 90 bridge will likely begin in June and last 1½ years to two years depending on the weather, Richardson said.

A containment flap will be placed over the bridge during construction. One east lane and one west lane of the bridge will probably be closed at a time while work takes place. The work will take place during daytime hours.

Officials originally estimated that the work on the U.S. 90 bridge would cost roughly $18 million, Jones said.

The estimated cost to rehabilitate the La. 182 bridge is about $16 million, but the actual cost may end up lower, he said. The La. 182 bridge opened in 1933, bridgehunter.com says.

Work on the Long-Allen Bridge will be a rehabilitation project and include some structural repairs, removal of old paint and repainting of the bridge, Richardson said.

Repair, cleaning and painting of both bridges will be paid for through the state’s transportation trust fund.

Rehabilitation of the bridges is “part of what we need to do to rebuild the area from years of decay,” Jones said.

Maintenance on the La. 182 bridge should begin in the summer of 2020. More work may be required on the old bridge “strictly because of its age,” he said. The La. 182 bridge has been repaired in Jones’ lifetime, but he doesn’t remember the bridge ever undergoing as much maintenance work as the upcoming job entails.