The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is preparing to implement emergency epaires on a road passage running through a truck in December. It is the second time in about two years that the bridge that carries the interstate 10 over the interstate 49 of the parish of Lafayette has required repairs after being hit.
The damage this time is not as serious as in the 2023 incident, says Mark Arceneaux, an engineer in the area of Louisiana Dotd. But an external beam on the third of four extensions carried by the I-10 in the east direction above the I-49 in a north direction was damaged outside the repair and requires replacement. Dotd in the meantime closed a lane in the passage and wrapped the fabric around the damaged area to prevent any damaged concrete from falling.
The scope of the repairs includes the replacement of the beam 82 feet in length, part of the barriers of the roof and the guard, as well as hitting some smaller areas with concrete punches, according to Chris Giglio, responsible for the project. With Lafayette, la. CEC CEC Inc, contractor, who is performing the repairs.
Dotd selected the same CEC team and consulting engineer Lafayette, Huval & Associates, who worked on previous repairs because officials were “extremely happy with the work they did,” says Arceneaux.
“We didn’t want to reinvent the wheel,” he says. “We knew I would go much faster [with the same team]. “”
With less damage this time, repairs are also less intensive. The 2023 crash damaged a larger section of the exceeded. The team chose to set up a spare section out of place, and then installed it by means of modular transporters self-propelled to “do it as a puzzle,” says Giglio.
This time, CEC plans to cut the barrier to remove it in segments, and then cut the concrete of the roof between the outer beam and the next interior beam to remove the entire damaged piece with the section of the roof on top, according to Giglio . Then they will erect the new beam the same night. It will follow the concrete work and the installation of the new barrier and the signs mounted.
Instead of precipitating repairs, the team plans to work for four consecutive weekends to reduce the impact on drivers, according to Arceneaux. The only important closure will be the weekend of February 7, when the I-49 to the north will close completely in the area while the crews eliminate the damaged beam and install the replacement.
Dotd does not plan any change so that the trucks are less likely to hit the bridge with their 15 feet, 6-in. Authorization. Arceneaux says that the two collisions were most likely an unfortunate coincidence: the upper passage had been without problems without problems.
“CDL controllers must inspect their load, ensure that their heights are correct and inspect their routes, which must be done,” says Arceneaux. “Unfortunately, we cannot be everywhere at once to ensure that all of these people do what they are supposed to do. But this bigger step has been installed for many decades, and so happened that this happened twice in a period of two years. “
