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Calcasieu Bridge team details early construction steps, warns of summer traffic impacts in Westlake
Summary
Project team for the Calcasieu I‑10 bridge told the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury the project will start drill‑shaft work this summer, build a new parallel bridge and widen interchanges; officials warned of lane reductions and a late‑July–August closure for crane assembly and modular moves.
Jonathan S. Hill, the Calcasieu Bridge public information manager, and construction representatives gave the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury an overview on May 7 of the upcoming sequence of work for the I‑10/Calcasieu Bridge project and warned of traffic impacts in Westlake ahead of major construction.
Hill introduced the project team and said the ceremonial groundbreaking held last week was historic; he directed jurors to the project website for photos and a recap video and noted media attention on the roughly $2,300,000,000 regional investment tied to the project. "If you visit the website, the recap video is posted there," Hill said.
Manuel Ferdinand, representing the design‑build contractor, described early construction activities the team plans to start this summer. "We will start in summertime this year, drilling some shafts, which are gonna be the foundations of the new bridge that we are gonna build," Ferdinand said, adding crews will construct a new bridge parallel to the existing span and later demolish the older structure once the new bridge is ready. Ferdinand also described ramp and widening work at the I‑10 interchange and at the PPG interchange, and said crews will maintain two travel lanes per direction during daytime work, with intermittent nighttime lane closures for select operations.
Ferdinand said the project will also include demolition of acquired parcels between Sunstone Street and the lake to expand DOTD right‑of‑way, geotechnical platform work for pile driving on the west approach, and marine work that requires building a temporary trestle to drive piles in the navigation channel.
Seth Woods, identified in the presentation as the District 7 administrator for the Department of Transportation and Development, described construction sequencing and public‑facing schedule details. Woods said a temporary detour in Westlake will remain through October and that trench excavation and concrete pours are progressing. He flagged traffic reductions on Sampson Street beginning in June and said modular pipe‑rack deliveries will be moved at night with press releases in advance.
Woods also warned of a temporary closure on Horseshoe Boulevard "from Sampson to Mike Hooks" planned for late July through late August to assemble a crane and set modules; the team said officials will notify the public as plans and traffic control details are finalized.
Sean Lynn, the project stakeholder and commercial director, shared local economic figures for the project and said outreach and hiring efforts are underway. "So far, we've spent $92,000,000 locally," Lynn said, and staff noted a total of roughly $235,000,000 spent in Louisiana to date. Lynn said the team has completed about 26 hiring outreach events and encouraged residents to check the project employment page accessed via a QR code on the presentation materials.
Jurors asked about local jobs and hiring goals; the team directed them to the website and reiterated that specific traffic‑control dates and final schedules will be published in coming weeks.
The presentation closed with thanks to jurors and a reminder that additional updates and a press release recap of the groundbreaking have been posted online.
