WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH - It has been more than a month since the Department of Transportation and Development discovered the new LA 1 bridge is sinking into the ground beneath it at an unprecedented rate. 

The bridge already needs a major repair while it's still under construction. The project as a whole has been on hold "out of an abundance of caution" since the discovery, according to DOTD.

“I can’t stress enough that the answers, we do not know. It is a very moving target situation right now," said DOTD spokesperson, Rodney Mallett, in an interview on Jan. 26.

Mallett could not speak on camera Thursday but told WBRZ that the agency is still working to determine the price and scope of the repair. We put in a public records request for the results of a geotechnical survey conducted recently by a third-party contractor, but we have not heard back. 

“I’d like to stress that these evaluations are ongoing," Mallett said.

The leading mitigation effort DOTD is considering is called low mobility grouting, but that plan is not yet solidified. Mallett says they are looking to see if there is a more efficient and less expensive repair method.

“As we develop more information, we hope that we can shorten that time and cost," Mallett said.

Phase one of the $58 million project was supposed to be complete by the end of the year. The project will likely be delayed by at least 10 months.

Construction crews are still able to perform simple tasks along the new structure. Drivers can expect nightly lane closures between 7 p.m. and 4 a.m. until April 7 for workers to do soil, drainage, and concrete work.