BELLE CHASSE, La. — The Belle Chasse Bridge remains under construction due to an unexpected sinking problem, according to NOLA.com. Driver's won't be able to fully access the bridge until late March, a year past the original timeline.
Contractors have demolished sections connecting the ground to the bridge, including embankments and approaches that were already fully constructed.
According to our partners, "ground settlement — the natural, gradual sinking of the earth — beneath those parts of the bridge is occurring faster than engineers anticipated."
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is awaiting formal approval of a new fix for the issue. DOTD Secretary Joe Donahue assured the public, "There's no safety issue."
The developer, Plenary Americas, plans to resolve the problem by using a lightweight fill material to build the new embankments. This approach is expected to reduce the weight and stop the settlement, our partners reported.
The repair will cost Plenary Americas $6 million. Additionally, the company is incurring a $10,000 daily penalty for not fully opening the bridge. Plenary is responsible for all financial costs tied to the project, including repairs, delay fines, and lost toll revenue, NOLA.com reported.
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