One Less Road to Coushatta; Locals Irritated at Another Bridge Closure

Another bridge closure draws irritation from many Bienville Parish residents who work and/or shop in Coushatta.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development closed the LA 155 bridge over Grand Bayou in Red River Parish on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, after it failed inspection.

According to the DOTD, “The bridge will remain closed until repairs can be made. There is currently no timeline for these repairs, but further updates will be issued when available. All vehicles will need to utilize an alternate route. This work will be performed WEATHER PERMITTING. DOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution through the construction site and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment. Area residents should exercise caution when driving, walking, or biking near an active construction zone.”

Construction on the LA 507 bridge, which is just across the Bienville Parish line in Red River Parish near Womack, is still ongoing.

One Castor resident who works in Coushatta explained that he now has to “cut through Monroe road, to Layfield road, to 371.” The closure of the two bridges has added 10 to 15 minutes to his commute each way. His commute is now over crowded bumpy back roads.

Other local residents took to Facebook to express their irritation:

“They put dirt on them and leave them down for 2 yrs ..dweebs”
“Pretty sure my truck will get across that pile of dirt :)”
“This is really causing issues!”
“Kind of ironic this one is shut down the same time the one in castor is almost through.”