The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, (DOTD), advises the public that on Wednesday, April 22 construction will begin on LA 120 in Natchitoches Parish. This work will take place on the bridge located approximately 1.5 Miles West from the intersection of I-49 and LA 120 at the Bayou Julien Bridge.
The intent of this project is to remove timber trestle bridges, improve drainage structures, insert precast concrete piles, cast-in-place concrete slap span bridges, clear and grub, grading, apply in-place cement in the base and subgrade layers, apply lime treatment to the subgrade, and then apply asphalt concrete pavement followed by permanent striping on the roadway and other related work.
The public is advised to remain alert to construction signs and changing roadway conditions. LA 120 will remain closed at this location until further notice. This work is weather dependent.
The project was awarded to the low bidder, W.E. McDonald and Son, LLC, in the amount of $5,188,195.89.
Permit/Detour section
All through traffic will be detoured. The detour route will be I-49 and LA 478.
Safety Reminder
DOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution through the construction site and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.
Additional Information
Call (318) 561-5100 or (800) 542-3509 or 511 or visit http://www.511LA.org for additional information.
It will take them a couple years probably when it should only take a month at most. If you look at the amount of money they give away for a small project like this it makes me wonder. Whoever is awarding these contract either on the take or the biggest dumbass you have ever seen. They continue to award contracts to companies that are always late on the project and do poor work. Take the bridge replacement on 120 just outside of Provencal. Been over two years now it is almost there but no one has been working on it. Just sits there for months. You award contracts to companies based on performance and cost. I know states and government usually award to lowest bidder. However if the company is not performing then take them out of the bidder pool. The state needs to step up and do better with these contracts and needs to replace whoever is awarding the contracts. I would look at his bank account. That my two senses for what it is worth.
For that amount of money they need to close that section of road which stays under water a lot. People can use 478 to get to I 49 and Hwy 1. That money could be used to resurface lots of roads. wasteful.