DENHAM SPRINGS — The Burgess Road Bridge is set to reopen Friday morning after Livingston Parish President Randy Delatte says he decided to move forward with the reopening despite a dispute with the contractor over liquidated damages.

Parish Department of Public Works crews are scheduled to begin installing temporary pavement striping no later than 7 a.m. on July 3, with the bridge expected to open to traffic by 10 a.m.

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."

The parish said that when it responded that Delatte would be opening the road, the contractor said, "Again if you have charged any liquidated damages since the last estimate. We are not opening the road."

"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. 

"The bridge is safe and we are going to do everything within our authority to get it reopened," Delatte said. 

The only remaining work after the temporary striping is permanent pavement striping and permanent signage, according to the parish. 

Livingston Parish also noted that contractor equipment may still be on or near the bridge. If any equipment interferes with the reopening, parish personnel will work to address the situation so the bridge can open as quickly as possible.