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Long delays on alternate routes across Mississippi River amid Sunshine Bridge closure

5 years 5 months 1 week ago Thursday, October 18 2018 Oct 18, 2018 October 18, 2018 6:04 PM October 18, 2018 in News
Source: WBRZ

ASCENSION PARISH - Nearly a week after the Sunshine Bridge was shut down by an accident involving a barge, traffic continues to build along the detour routes. Now, drivers are getting frustrated.

"It's just a traffic. Just traffic. That's all I can say,” said Jaquetta Broden, one of the unfortunate drivers.

On the west side of the Veterans Memorial Bridge, DOTD is helping to manually run red lights to help ease the heavy traffic that's been keeping drivers stuck waiting.

Along Highway 3127 in Vacherie, the DOTD presence is heavy along with the increased traffic, with technicians manually controlling the lights and testing the highway.

DOTD technicians were on scene in the morning, measuring the depth of the shoulder along the highway, and drivers are hoping they quickly come up with a solution to help with the congestion.

“I'm thinking as the days goes on, they'll find a way to, you know, ease it up where it'll come uncongested as it is,” said another driver, David Johnson.

The St. James Sheriff says they want to see if the highway can handle turning the shoulder into an additional traffic or turning lane.

With only a stop sign, the sheriff also says the intersection leading from the bridge to the highway is a safety concern because of the heavy volume there now, and drivers agree.

"After five and six, it's just backed up. Its just backed up," Johnson said.

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