Louisiana lawmakers asking governor for help to get Highway 90 bridge in Pearlington repaired

Louisiana lawmakers from St. Tammany Parish are asking for the governor’s help to push for repairs to the Highway 90 bridge between Mississippi and Louisiana.

NOLA.com reported that Louisiana Sen. Sharon Hewitt and Rep. Bob Owell, both from Slidell, sent a letter to Gov. John Bel Edwards saying a $45 million bridge replacement project that is not expected to be done until 2028 is too long to wait — especially if a hurricane threatens the area.

“Having a replacement bridge in place five hurricane seasons from now — if everything remains on schedule — is not acceptable,” the letter reads in part.

Louisiana and Mississippi alternate who has responsibility for maintenance and repair of roads and bridges that cross state lines. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has the responsibility for the bridge between Pearlington and Slidell over the Pearl River on Highway 90.

The bridge was closed in 2022 because the bridge was no longer safe for motorists. Before the closure, the route saw 3,300 daily commuters, NOLA.com said.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has said that traffic count is low and the state has an $18.8 billion backlog of road repair needs and motorists in that area have alternate routes they can use if an evacuation is necessary.

But the lawmakers say the current traffic problems on Interstate 10 at the Mississippi-Louisiana line has prompted lane closures that will last at least a month.

The Pearl River bridge on I-10 was closed twice in the last two years. In January 2022, an 18-wheeler hauling cars hit the guard rail causing closure and subsequent repairs and another accident in August 2023 also caused delays and closures for repairs.

Motorists were forced to take alternate routes, affecting commuters to NASA’s Stennis Space Center and others working in New Orleans, as well as beachgoers, tourists and other travelers.