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POST-SIGNAL PHOTO / Desiray Seaux
After having been closed for nearly 18 months, the bridge on Northern Avenue in west Crowley has been re-opened to traffic. A 5-ton weight limit, with the exception of school buses, has been posted. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development approved the re-opening of the bridge Wednesday afternoon.

Northern Ave. bridge re-opened

At a cost of just under $150,000, the bridge on Northern Avenue is now open to weight-limited traffic.
The bridge was closed by the La. Department of Transportation and Development on July 19, 2016, due to deterioration of the pilings.
Closing of the bridge created a special hardship for residents west of the structure and for employees at Capitol Manufacturing as well as emergency agencies.
In a unique agreement, the Acadia Parish Police Jury, the City of Crowley and Capitol Manufacturing entered into a joint venture to have the bridge repaired.
The police jury and Capitol Manufacturing each put up $50,000 and the city added $38,500 to cover the estimated cost.
Durable Piling Restoration, LLC, entered into an agreement dated Sept. 12 to repair the bridge. The original scope of work included 27 pile splices. However, subsequent to commencing work on the project, additional problems were discovered with the bridge which required additional work to return the bridge to service.
The added cost — $10,530 — was borne by the parish and approved during a special police jury meeting on Dec. 5.
At its Dec. 12 meeting, the jury accepted as substantially complete the repair work and by mid-afternoon the following day, LDOTD had inspected and approved the bridge for service.
Michael “PeeWee” Schexnider, parish road supervisor, told jurors that additional work on the bridge will be needed in the future and, on his recommendation, the police jury set a 5-ton load limit on the bridge with the exception of school buses.

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