LaDOTD says its moving to address bridges vulnerable to vessel strikes

By Greg LaRose
Contributing Writer

(lailluminator.com) — A federal agency has determined 68 bridges nationwide, including eight in Louisiana, are vulnerable to vessel strikes that could have catastrophic consequences — and local officials might have no idea of the risk.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommends that the 30 entities that maintain the bridges in question conduct their own risk assessments and take measures to reduce their vulnerability.

Rodney Mallet, spokes-man for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), said the state has already examined the risk factors for its eight bridges mentioned in the report, and mitigation efforts are already in place.

“If a bridge is open, it is safe to drive over,” Mallet said.

The eight bridges highlighted in the NTSB report are: Israel LaFleur Bridge on Interstate 210 in Lake Charles; Hale Boggs Bridge in Luling; Horace Wilkinson Bridge on Interstate 10 in Baton Rouge; Veterans Memorial Bridge in Gramercy; Sunshine Bridge in Ascension Parish; Huey P. Long Bridge in Jefferson Parish; and both spans of the Crescent City Connection in New Orleans

The NTBS categorized the 68 bridges on its list as “critical/essential” or “typical,” based on their importance as travel corridors.

The Huey P. Long, Gramercy and Sunshine bridges were labeled typical, with the other six deemed critical/essential.

Mallet said steps DOTD currently has in place to lower the risk of ship-bridge incidents include pier protection devices such as metal fenders and dolphins, vessel tracking systems, advance warning systems, and tug boats to guide tankers while docking.

Louisiana intends to submit its risk assessment report to the NTSB within 30 days as requested, he added.

The measuring stick used to determine the collision risk bridges face comes from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). In addition to physical structures in place to prevent or reduce the same from collisions, the evaluation also takes into account the amount of vessel traffic in the waterway the bridge crosses.

This article originally published in the March 31, 2025 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.