DONALDSONVILLE - Crews plan to shut down the Sunshine Bridge for repairs over the weekend after workers found a crack in one of the bridge supports. 

The closure is slated to begin at 6 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 27 and will stay in effect through 6 p.m. Sunday. The highway will close in both directions between LA 44 and LA 18.

Last week, the Department of Transportation shut down one westbound lane after the damage was discovered during a routine inspection. Despite the closure, officials said the bridge is still safe for drivers.

“If this bridge is open, it's safe. We close bridges when they are not safe. That's why we have a highly trained inspection team that makes these decisions,” DOTD spokesman Rodney Mallett said last week.

Back in 2018, the Sunshine Bridge was closed for about three months after a barge crashed into it causing major damage. The bridge was also briefly closed in 2019 after a barge struck the base of the structure. 

It was immediately clear whether the newly discovered crack was related to any past mishaps.