Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) decided on the emergency opening to accommodate traffic that will be unable to cross the river when the ferry closes. The ferry, which carried approximately 720 vehicles per day, is being permanently closed with the opening of the Audubon Bridge.
“High water closing the ferry would have obviously caused an inconvenience for commuters, so using the new Audubon Bridge is a logical alternative,” said DOTD secretary Sherri LeBas. “Since this is an emergency situation, we’ve talked to the contractor and determined that it’s 100% safe to allow traffic on the bridge at this time. However, there’s still construction work remaining on the bridge. Drivers should be aware that future road and bridge impacts may be necessary to complete the construction that remains on the project.”
Construction
05 May 11
Emergency early opening for bridge as high water forces ferry closure
The John James Audubon Bridge opens to traffic today, months ahead of schedule. The surprise early opening is needed to replace a ferry route that has had to close because of rising levels in the Mississippi River in the US state of Louisiana.
