The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development's Huey P. Long U.S. 90 Bridge over the Mississippi River is a key infrastructure component of the New Orleans and Louisiana economies, with 50,000 vehicles daily, along with passenger and freight train usage. Completed in 1935, the steel truss bridge supports 2 railroad tracks, and 4 narrow 9-foot wide traffic lanes.

This Massman-led joint venture project added trusses on each side and replaced the existing traffic lanes with 3 widened lanes and shoulders. The main span is 2,375 feet long in 4 spans. The widening scope included over 17,000 tons of structural steel, and extensive retrofitting of the existing trusses to accept connections to the new trusses.

Extensive work procedures were also employed at the road deck level to maintain the normal 4 lanes of traffic and rail usage as much as possible. The retrofitting and connection work on the existing trusses was performed from fixed work platforms, and also moving platforms over the traffic lanes.

Below is a video of the Huey P. Long bridge project truss lift.

Project Awards:

2013 Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Alliant Build America Grand Award - Highway and Transportation Renovation

2012 Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Award

2012 Construction Innovation Forum (CIF) Nova Award

2012 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) National Historic Landmark Award 

2010 Public Relations of Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter Award of Excellence for PR Strategy - Special Event