DENHAM SPRINGS — Contractors working on the Burgess Road Bridge replacement in Denham Springs refused to move their equipment to allow the bridge to reopen on Friday morning. 

According to Public Works Director Robert Dugas, the contracting firm working on the project, Guinn Construction, refused to move its equipment until the parish removed charges for liquidated damages — a fee a contractor must pay for time the project runs past its scheduled completion date — levied against the firm. 

"They tried to hold the parish hostage," Dugas said. 

Around 8:30 a.m, Dugas, public work crews and Livingston Parish deputies were called out to the bridge site to officially declare the bridge reopened. After the bridge was declared reopened, the parish began working to remove the contractor's equipment and charge the firm and its owner with obstructing a public roadway.

The roadway, while officially open, was still blocked until the contractor's equipment could be moved. 

The parish's crews were installing temporary striping to allow the bridge to reopen by 10 a.m. 

WBRZ previously reported that the contractor had told the parish it would not open the road if liquidated damages were assessed under the contract terms. In an email to the parish, the contractor said, "If any day charges have been charged since the last estimate, the road will not be open tomorrow."

"Rather than allow a contractual dispute to continue delaying the reopening of the bridge, Livingston Parish will utilize its own Department of Public Works crews to install temporary striping so motorists can safely begin using the roadway," the parish said on Thursday.

The bridge project was previously delayed by wet soil conditions in June.