The Chef Menteur Pass Bridge, connecting New Orleans East to St. Tammany Parish, is closed after the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) found structural concerns during an inspection.
The bridge, which is 96 years old, serves as the main artery for the Lake Catherine community, facilitating travel between the north and south shores.
The closure is expected to add approximately 25 minutes to commutes, as drivers will need to detour via US 11, Interstate 10, and LA 433.
“The closing of this bridge traveling eastbound means a detour to US 11, to Interstate 10, to LA 433 on the other side of Lake Pontchartrain, so it’s not an easy detour and that also caused us to expedite the urgency of the repair,” said Scott Boyle with DOTD.
DOTD is utilizing in-house crews for the repairs, which means an emergency contract is not required.
Weather permitting, they aim to complete the repairs by next Friday.
READ MORE:Chef Menteur Pass Bridge closed for repairs. Here’s when it will reopen
