H&H was selected to design a six-lane crossing by building a new bascule bridge parallel and adjacent to the existing bridge. The new bridge will carry three westbound lanes, and the existing bridge will be modified to carry three eastbound lanes plus a pedestrian and bicycle path. This project will provide reliable access to the area and will also supplement the hurricane evacuation route network.
The scope includes the final design of a new three-lane double-leaf bascule bridge and approach spans that will be north of and parallel to the existing bridge, and the design of modifications to the existing bridge to reconfigure it for three eastbound lanes plus a pedestrian and bicycle path.
The parameters of the new design include:
- Provide a 150-foot-wide navigation channel
- Match the elevation of the existing bridge
- Provide the same 45-foot vertical navigation clearance
Lapalco Boulevard is an established east-west corridor in Jefferson Parish. It connects Barataria Boulevard on the west to Belle Chase Highway on the east and crosses the Harvey Canal with a bascule bridge that carries two lanes of traffic in each direction. The bridge creates a traffic bottleneck because it carries only four lanes of traffic while the approach roadways carry six lanes of traffic. During recent years growth in the area has led to a need for greater capacity on this bridge.
