Photo courtesy of Kiewit
Construction crews continue making progress on the LA-1 Intracoastal Bridge replacement in West Baton Rouge.
The timeline has changed due to an unexpected delay, but construction crews continue making progress on the LA-1 Intracoastal Bridge replacement in West Baton Rouge. The two-phased project will feature a new southbound bridge with three 12-ft. lanes and 10-ft. shoulders, and a new northbound bridge with two 12-ft. lanes, 10-ft. shoulders and a barrier-separated exit lane for I-10 eastbound.
"Both structures are structurally deficient and qualify for replacement," said Rodney Mallett, communications director of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD). "It's been determined that the repair and/or replacement of the bridges is neither feasible nor cost-effective; therefore, the project calls for both bridges to be replaced with new structures that meet current design criteria.
Photo courtesy of RCL Consultants
"The added lanes and widened shoulders of the new bridges will help relieve traffic congestion on LA 1 over the Intracoastal Waterway and improve accessibility to I-10. This project also will improve safety and mobility, as well as increase the efficiency of the LA 1 corridor as a hurricane evacuation route."
The new girder span bridge is 2,760 ft. and is made of concrete and steel girders with a concrete bridge deck. Construction, divided into two separate projects for funding reasons, was paused for about 10 months because of a stabilization issue, which has pushed the completion date back approximately one year.
As work progresses, motorists are being detoured.
"On-site diversions are being used to shift traffic during construction of the southbound bridge during the Phase 1 project," said Mallett. "Once the southbound bridge is complete, the southbound and northbound LA 1 traffic will be shifted onto the new bridge.
"This will allow the existing bridges to be removed and the northbound bridge to be constructed in the Phase 2 project. Two lanes of traffic have been maintained in both directions during this project, except a few nighttime lane closures."
Kiewit serves as the general contractor on the project.
"DOTD has a great partnership with Kiewit, and it was apparent in the early stages, when extra settling led to a delay. The two teams worked together to find a solution that would benefit both parties and the local population."
According to Roy Payne, project engineer of RCL Consultants, stabilization efforts have been the most time-consuming task for crews.
"In late 2022, it was discovered that some of the piers were experiencing unexpected settlement. In mid-late 2023, Keller North America provided ground stabilization in the form of Low Mobility Grouting [LMG]. This LMG was injected into the ground at multiple locations and angles to form grout columns to help reinforce below the settling piers."
The price of the project is not being disclosed at this time but will be higher than the original estimate of $57.7 million, because of the extra work performed to mitigate the settling.
Another concern has involved coordination of the surrounding stakeholders.
"They include Port Allen Lock, USCG, WBR Parish, and the railroad," said Payne. "It's been a challenge to ensure they are in alignment with any closures required to set the steel girders and place the concrete deck over the Intracoastal Canal."
Payne also said replacing the current southbound bridge with a new one on the west side of the existing structure has involved a fair amount of planning.
"The new LA-1 bridge requires a Load Transfer Platform [LTP] at the north end of the bridge, due to the difference in grade elevations between the existing LA-1 bridge alignment and the new LA-1 bridge. This LTP was constructed to bring the elevation of the new roadway up to tie into the new LA-1 southbound bridge, and sheet piles were placed along the LTP to ensure the construction of the LTP did not affect the existing LA-1 southbound roadway."
Payne noted that the north and south approaches to the bridge have been completed, along with almost all drainage work, and the bridge deck and bridge railing have been poured and completed on both sides of the canal. Work remaining includes setting the last steel girders, finishing the placement of the concrete bridge deck and bridge railing, final completion of ITS work and final traffic switches.
Photo courtesy of Kiewit
Weather has been a concern for crews, who've been keeping a close eye on the forecast.
"Heavy rains, winds, and lightning storms can affect construction," Payne said. "The ground can become too wet for large equipment to traverse, and heavy rain can create slip hazards for the workers who are working at heights on top of the bridge. Heavy wind can affect the larger cranes and create a safety hazard for any piece of material the cranes plan to pick up.
"If lightning is reported to have struck within a certain radius of the project, all equipment and personnel must stand down until enough time has passed since the last lightning strike within the set radius to resume any work for the safety of the workers."
Equipment on site has included excavators, dozers, front-end loaders and heavy cranes. Embankment soil is being used by crews, as well as concrete (Type A1 MASS, A1, B, S, and M), 610 limestone, and granular aggregate material.
As for the old bridges, they will be removed during Phase 2.
Mallett said it's rewarding to see work resuming on the project as a whole.
"We have several major projects in the area, so when we reach a milestone, it helps motivate the traveling public, who can see the benefits. A new more modern bridge will be beneficial to the region and also limit the amount of lane closures we have, due to repairs." CEG
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