Magnolia Bridge Widening Process Underway

Submitted by David Barrow

Relief is finally on the way for motorists traveling across the Amite River on Magnolia Bridge Road (LA64) to and from Livingston Parish.  The Louisiana Dept. of Transportation and Development (DOTD) will accept bids on June 23, 2010 for the widening of the bridge to 4 lanes.  The estimated cost is $20 to $30 million dollars.  The project involves building a brand new 2-lane bridge with shoulders slightly to the north of the existing bridge first.  Once that bridge is complete, traffic will be routed onto the new bridge, and demolition and replacement of the existing bridge will take place.   This is a project similar to the widening of the Amite River bridge on Florida Blvd (US190) that is currently underway.
 
Assuming all bid documents are in order and the project is awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, work should begin in the last quarter of this year and last about two years.  The intersection of Greenwell Springs and Magnolia Bridge Rd will have lanes reconfigured to accommodate traffic on the new bridges.  DOTD will restripe Greenwell Springs Rd southbound to provide two left turn lanes onto eastbound Magnolia Bridge Rd; restripe Greenwell Springs Rd northbound to provide two right turn lanes on eastbound Magnolia Bridge Rd; and restripe eastbound Magnolia Bridge Rd to provide two through lanes at the intersection.