I-10 Westbound Exit Expected To Re-Open in Westlake, Louisiana

Westlake, Louisiana - After months of driving under and, for some, hitting the I-10 clearance bar beneath the I-10 Bridge, that stretch of road is becoming a piece of SWLA history. It is expected to be announced that the road connecting Sampson Street in Westlake and the I-10 on-ramp is expected to re-open at some point this weekend.

READ MORE: I-10 Clearance Bar Hits

Mike Soileau

Construction in Westlake As Part of New I-10 Bridge Project

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is currently doing construction in Westlake as Southwest Louisiana begins getting a new bridge. Because of the construction, several changes were made, with detours around that Westlake area.

Part of those detours was the newly constructed road and on-ramp that pass beneath the I-10 bridge, but the roadway sits extremely close to the base of the bridge, making the clearance beneath the bridge limited. To prevent serious accidents and structural damage, DOTD installed a 12-foot clearance bar ahead of the underpass.

The I-10 Clearance Bar became a really popular comedic bit here in SWLA. 18-wheeler trucks, campers, and box trucks were constantly hitting the clearance bar beam. So much so that the I-10 clearance bar had to be reconstructed several times, most recently being torn down and replaced with a brand-new one.

READ MORE: What The New I-10 Bridge Will Look Like

I-10 Clearance Bar Area Closed in Westlake, Sampson Street/I-10 Reopened

Now, that will be a thing of the past. It is expected to be officially announced that the detour underneath the I-10 bridge is now closed, and the road connecting Sampson Street in Westlake and the on-ramp to I-10 will reopen. Crews have constructed a brand new bridge in place of the old one. They have been putting the finishing touches on the new bridge connecting to Sampson Street.

The road connecting the two is set to reopen at some point this weekend.