BATON ROUGE - Local and state officials gathered at a construction site on LA 1 late Friday morning to break ground on a long-awaited project to build a new Intracoastal Canal bridge.

The $57.7 million project began in early April. The goal is to replace the current southbound bridge with a new bridge that will be constructed on the west side of the existing structure.

The new bridge will also be realigned to connect with Earnest Wilson Drive and LA 1. It will be three lanes instead of two, and include two 10-foot-wide shoulders on each side.

The existing Intracoastal Canal bridge is over 60 years old. Shawn Wilson, Secretary of DOTD, says the aging infrastructure is too costly to keep repairing, which is why a new structure is needed.

Until the new southbound bridge is completed, vehicles will remain on the current alignment, at which time both south and northbound traffic will be shifted to the new bridge.

Phase one is expected to be completed during the summer of 2023, weather permitting.