Explosives bring down old railroad overpass

Published/Last Modified on Friday, May 23, 2008 2:08 PM CDT

The railroad overpass near the intersection of U.S. Route 90 and Louisiana 675 went out with a bang this morning.

State Department of Transportation and Development District Engineer Bill Fontenot said contractors demolished the overpass using explosive devices around 2 a.m.

The contractor for the project, James Construction Group, will now remove the bridge debris and lower the embankment to a level that meets the existing highway. Fontenot said the concrete could be recycled for future road projects or used in other ways. Work at the U.S. 90 and Louisiana 675 interchange began in 2006. Workers are building an overpass on U.S. 90 over Louisiana 675.

The $22.8 million project should be completed by January 2009.

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Comments

Jarred James Breaux wrote on May 27, 2008 2:33 PM:

" Indeed, a sudy was done to see if moving Hwy 675 to the old overpass would be cheaper; however, the cost of residential relocation and upgrading the old bridge was too expensive. "

TJD wrote on May 25, 2008 7:33 PM:

" JRC that is a very good point. "

Jarred James Breaux wrote on May 25, 2008 2:07 PM:

" I live 3 miles away and I felt the shaking. At approximately 1:50, the electricity went out and then my house started shaking (knocking pictures down) and then I heard the blast. I thought a plane had gone down. I went outside to look, but there was no electricity as far as I could see anywhere.

Why implode the bridge at 2 AM on a Friday morning. Catholic High students had exams the next morning. I could not imagine how many people were awaken by that blast. I live in Coteau and I heard it. "

Frank wrote on May 24, 2008 12:02 PM:

" It sure would have been nice to have been told of the impending explosion!!! Nothing like being woke up in the middle of the night thinking a plane just went down. Heck, I live 10 miles away, I'm sure those living closer were even more shaken!!

Frank "

D. Hertz wrote on May 23, 2008 10:16 PM:

" Why didn't Fontenot make this overpass part of the new overpass by extending and connecting the two? Gee whiz I thought we needed MORE overpasses for safe access to the crossroads of New Iberia. Why would they destroy a perfectly good overpass? Highway 3142 could have been used as an additional entry to the western part of our city. Typical poor planning by Louisiana Highway Department, at OUR expense. "

JRC wrote on May 23, 2008 2:26 PM:

" I wonder if Bill Fontenot and the LADOT did a study to see if moving Highway 675 to the old overpass would have been feasible. Sure seems like this would have been cheaper. "

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