Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development IWGO Green Bridge Rehabilitation

GPI’s involvement began in mid-2018 when the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) selected the team to evaluate coating systems on the market that can withstand the environment where this structure is located and that can also retain the color selected by the community. After a two-year side-by-side laboratory evaluation of 20 paint systems, evaluation of multiple performance parameters and a life cycle cost analysis of the final test results, a paint system was selected to be applied on the structure.

With a scope that included the cleaning and painting of the existing bridge, the project serves as the testing grounds for the new, innovative coating system with a service life significantly longer than current systems can provide. The longer service life of this new system reduces the impact to traffic by widening the maintenance window for future painting and rehabilitation projects. Additionally, characteristics of this system has restored and will sustain the historic green aesthetic of the bridge’s namesake.

GPI was then selected to provide construction engineering and inspection services for the rehabilitation of structural elements and to perform QA for coating applications.

With access to the steel members limited to the bridge deck, full-time lane closures were necessary to stage equipment and workers. In order to successfully execute the project while maintaining residential and industrial access, it was a priority of the project management team to coordinate with the heavy haulers to accommodate the majority of oversize loads needing to pass during the project. Significant coordination with the local community was critical in scheduling necessary full bridge closures that minimized inconveniences.

This project received the 2025 Louisiana Transportation Excellence Award at the 2025 Louisiana Transportation Conference.