Louisiana DOTD to Begin Installing Signs in Atchafalaya Basin Bridge Safety Corridor for Increased Fines and Speed Cameras

Louisiana – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced that beginning August 5, 2022, more signs will be erected along the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge. These signs are part of a three-phase process in response to Senate Bill 435 / ACT 426, which designated the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge as a traffic safety corridor.

The establishment of this highway safety corridor, which went into effect on August 1, 2022, calls for DOTD to build new signs on the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge, as well as install camera safety devices to monitor vehicles exceeding the posted speed limit so warnings and citations can be issued.

Local police officers will also continue to be able to enforce traffic laws on the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge, and any penalties issued by a police officer will take precedence over any camera offenses. The regular fine for driving offenses will be doubled. Higher fines went into effect on August 1, 2022.

The first phase entails putting extra signage along this corridor. Crews will place “Higher Fines” signage near the bridge approaches on both ends on I-10, as well as on the on-ramps at the Whiskey Bay and Butte LaRose exits. To alert motorists of the alterations, “Safety Corridor” signs will be put before the bridge approaches.

The second phase is installing automatic radar feedback signs that display vehicles’ speeds throughout this 18-mile stretch. These signs urge drivers to slow down if they are moving too quickly. The “Radar Feedback” signs are now being designed, and DOTD plans to put the project out to bid before the end of the year.

The third step will involve the installation of cameras that will monitor motorists’ speeds. The camera system, as well as the placement and mechanism by which the department will monitor and enforce these fines, are still in the works.

Motor vehicle collisions increased statewide in 2021, with 971 fatalities, a 17 percent rise over 2020. This highway safety corridor will focus on minimizing the number of deadly crashes, which frequently shut down the basin bridge for hours at a time. The safety cameras will minimize speeding therefore the speeding differential, which can lead to serious crashes, especially since the bridge has small shoulders with limited room for those moving at excessive speeds to recover.

All construction activity is weather dependent and may be rescheduled based on conditions.