Iberville to set up pedestrian ferry for residents near damaged drawbridge

Lina Portman4 weeks ago

0 2 minutes read

Work is underway to ease the hardship some residents will face in the area near the Bayou Grosse Tête Bridge, which will be out of service for at least three months.

Parish President Chris Daigle met with staff members Thursday to begin plans for a “foot ferry” that will transport residents across the waterway.

It's a similar process the parish implemented 10 years ago when a collision forced the bridge to close.

The process will involve barges on both sides of the waterway. Residents can park on one side of the waterway and have someone pick them up on the other side, instead of bypassing Los Angeles 1 to Interstate 10 to return to the area, a declared Daigle.

The plan is especially important for residents who commute from the area near Grosse Tête to Dow and Shintech in Plaquemine – a journey that is considerably longer and takes more time due to frequent traffic jams.

Workers with the Iberville Parish Public Works Department worked on the plan “around the clock,” Public Works Director John Overton said.

As part of this process, walkways will be put in place on both sides of the waterway for passengers to access the boat and transport them through the area.

It will primarily be used by residents along Intercoastal Road, Little Farms and Sawmill Road, he said.

Overton was mayor of Maringoiuin when a similar accident occurred 10 years ago. The parish used the same plan after this collision.

Last week's collision, however, was worse than the one in 2014, he said.

“The boat did a lot of damage this time,” Overton said Friday. “They had divers there (Thursday) trying to see what it felt like to go that way to the bottom of the Intracoastal.”

Workers will have to lift the entire central part of the bridge to get a good view of the damage to the pylon, he explained.

Meanwhile, Overton and his crew clear a parking area for those who need to cross on the “foot ferry.”

They had to install the guardrails and hopefully have them operational by June 14.

The process will keep workers busy almost around the clock

The “foot ferry” must receive approval from the U.S. Coast Guard before the plan is implemented, Overton said.

He said he understands the difficulties of taking Interstate 10 to Plaquemine, as opposed to La. 77, which runs along the damaged bridge that spans the waterway.

“A lot of people take this side road because of the traffic along Interstate 10,” Overton said. “The walking ferry will be a big help, but for those who have to go to work, it’s going to cost them money because of the longer journey.”

Overton said he was scheduled to drive Interstate 10 from the Maringoiuin area to the Plaquemine area on Friday.

Lina Portman

Related Articles

Two men hospitalized after separate stabbings, fight

A $100 million industrial park will be built near the historic SC Motor Speedway. here is the plan

Two Bronx men convicted in 2014 Harlem murder

AG: More than 500 active missing persons cases in Arkansas