Estherwood Pontoon Bridge Closed Until August

If your morning commute carries you across the pontoon bridge over Bayou Plaquemine Brule on LA 91 at Estherwood you're going to need to choose an alternate route or purchase an amphibious car. The reason? The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has closed the bridge for repairs through August.

The bridge has been the subject of numerous repairs since the 2016 floods. Most recently DOTD had closed the bridge for what was expected to be only a short time. However, during the course of repair work, more issues with the structure were discovered. This is the reason why the bridge will likely not be allowed back into service until later this Summer.

Many drivers in the area say that without the bridge their morning commute is extended by some 20 to 30 minutes. DOTD officials say they do understand the frustration but they point out the fact that allowing traffic to continue on the bridge in its current state could result in catastrophic failure of the structure.