Next week the new twin span eastbound opens. A few weeks later, when crews spin the signs around, the old eastbound span will become an interim westbound bridge -- doing away with the weight restrictions on the Katrina damaged structure. Mark Lambert with DOTD says, "You can only have 35 tons on the existing westbound. When we move that westbound traffic to the other span, they can have a full load up to 80 thousand pounds."
Lifting the weight restrictions clears the way for trucks carrying heavier loads to head more directly to the port of New Orleans. Lambert adds, "A lot of those trucks are having to go around and use I-55 or even the Causeway. With this new twin span bridge, they can take permanent loads. That means the port may be able to start doing more business. That is good for economic development."
It is also good for the trucking industry that moves goods to and from the port. Weight restrictions meant detouring more miles. Christian Jensen with TCI trucking says, "Following Katrina, the bridge closure forced our overweight export cargo in a different pattern. When you are adding mileage on to a journey it takes time, it sub-optimizes the fleet and it costs more money."
More money tacked onto trucking bills drove some business away from the port of New Orleans to Houston and Mobile instead. Adding an average of $150 a route may not seem like much... until you multiply it. Jensen explains, "You've got major manufacturers along the I-10 corridor producing hundreds of containers a month. At 150 dollars that is ten thousand a month -- that is a 150 thousand dollar change for a medium to large shipper."
TCI Trucking expects when the new span opens to see an almost immediate impact on business. He says, "It will speed up our transit times to the port. I will be able to do more trucking moves per day. Shippers in Mississippi and Alabama can take that savings and make a decision to come to New Orleans." New business headed to New Orleans thanks to a new road to travel into town.
