MONROE, LA — The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announces an update for the $27.5-million rehabilitation project for the I-20 Mississippi River Bridge. The entire project is anticipated to be complete in early 2021, weather permitting. The nearly 50-year-old structure provides one of the few interstate crossings over the river, connecting Madison Parish to Vicksburg, Mississippi, in Warren County.

Since the project began in January 2020, the contractor has completed the rehab work on the bridge deck in both westbound lanes and one eastbound lane. Paving continues in the other eastbound lane. Repairs are also complete to the transverse beam of the structure, which serves to help transmit the loads crossing the bridge. Additionally, two bearings on one of the piers have been replaced.

The new inspection walkway on the downstream side of the bridge is nearly complete, as well as the ladders that provide access to the aerial beacons. The contractor continues to work on improvements to the electrical power distribution system, lighting, and instrumentation. Nearly 100 roadway lighting fixtures are being replaced with a modern LED system.

Roadway fiber optics are also being replaced with new cameras and radar that will be integrated into Mississippi’s IT Network. Soon, work will begin on the access stairs for the new inspection walkway, in addition to repairs to the major expansion joints of the bridge. The steel structural connections at certain locations on the bridge are being modified to improve resilience against a variety of loads and conditions.