AROUND THE PARISH

DOTD inspectors find crushed cap on Wax Road bridge over Draughan Creek

Another EBR bridge closes due to safety concerns

City-Parish officials are closing the Wax Road bridge over Draughan Creek in Central today due to safety problems found by inspectors from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.

Both State and City-Parish Public Works officials agreed to close the bridge after the inspectors found a hollowed, crushed timber cap. In addition to informing first responders about the closure, the DPW officials were also in the process of alerting the Central School System after noting that a school bus crossed the bridge during the inspection.

This is the second bridge that has closed in the past month after problems were found during a routine state inspection. Five-ton load limits were placed on two other bridges last week after inspectors found critical deficiencies in both structures. Those load limits shall remain until DPW crews can make the temporary repairs necessary to increase the level of safety.

The latest closure comes less than a week after new 5-ton weight limits were placed on the Woodland Ridge Boulevard bridge over Jones Creek that provides the primary access to Episcopal High School, and the Cloverland Avenue bridge over Claycut Bayou between Siegen Lane and Airline Highway.

The new load limits came after DOTD inspectors reported finding several crushed and deficient piles on the two bridges that were caused by decay and traffic loading.

Last month the North Flannery Bridge over Lively Bayou was ordered closed after DOTD inspectors deemed it too dangerous to remain open to traffic.

Telephone inquiries may be directed to the Department of Public Works Administration Office at (225) 389-3158.

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