BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is lowering the weight limit for vehicles traveling on the LA 1 Intracoastal Waterway Bridge.

The new limit is now 15-25 tons in both directions and will remain in place until repairs to the bridge have been made. Repairs are estimated to take a minimum of two months to be completed.

DOTD says the contractor of the bridge repairs will work seven days a week in order to finish them as quickly as possible. Drivers can expect lane closures during non-rush hour times.

"This is unfortunate and inconvenient for the commercial trucks, and the industries they serve, that depend on this bridge and this route," Dr. Shawn Wilson, Secretary for DOTD, said. "This is another compelling example of why routine inspections, consistent maintenance and building infrastructure are vital to the state and the nation when it comes to commerce."

Louisiana State Police will be assisting with the changes affecting the bridge with LSP Weight Enforcement Officers to be stationed near the bridge to help monitor traffic and enforce the new weight limits.

Officers will stop and detour any commercial vehicles which may exceed the new weight requirements.

According to DOTD, the bridge was built in 1960 and has an average daily traffic count of approximately 48,000. Replacement of the bridge is currently scheduled for 2020 pending available funding at a cost of $120 million.