On August 29, 2005, the old Twin Span Bridge connecting Slidell, LA to New Orleans suffered extensive damage due to a storm surge. The eastbound span lost 38 segments and had 170 misaligned, while the westbound span lost 26 segments and had 265 misaligned. The damage left only one route, U.S. Route 11, available into New Orleans from the east.
Temporary repairs were made by using scavenged segments from the westbound span to reopen the east span with one lane in each direction by October 10, 2005. To prevent future storm damage, the state invested $803 million to construct a new bridge 30 feet above Lake Pontchartrain.
Upon completion of the new bridge, CCB was contracted to demolish the old structure. CCB saw cut over 30,000 feet of standard deck using 120 HP V6 saws. We also performed plunge cuts through bridge diaphragms with our custom-built Super Deep parapet saw, utilizing a 91-inch diameter blade to cut over 38 inches deep. Additionally, our custom track wire saws were used to cut through piers over 4 feet thick.
The contractor then rigged entire bridge spans, lifting them with cranes onto barges for transportation to shore, where the concrete and rebar were recycled.
