The $1.2-billion Huey P. Long Bridge Widening Project was completed in June by a team led by Louisiana TIMED Managers. This is the only freight rail bridge on the Mississippi River, and the project is one of 16 in the $4.6-billion Louisiana TIMED Program.
During the seven-year project, which began in April 2006, the driving surface on the bridge was more than doubled to 43 ft wide from 18 ft. To do this, the project team moved three trusses on barges and then lifted them 150 ft into place. The largest truss was 528 ft long and 114 ft tall and weighed 2,650 tons.