Causeway's $40M safety railings weren't installed correctly

"JB James Construction of Baton Rouge won the railing project with a $33.6 million bid in 2018, outbidding several other firms. Later adjustments to the contract increased the price to around $40 million.

But complications began almost as soon as the rail work began, Dufrechou said. The company's workers found that the original plans from the 1950s did not accurately reflect where in the existing concrete railing steel rods were located. Thus, when workers began to drill into what they expected was only concrete, they were often hitting steel as well and it was damaging drills and drill bits.

Later, when inspectors checked the installed railings, they found that some bolts used to anchor steel plates to the bridge were shorter than the design called for and an epoxy used also did not meet specifications, Dufrechou said.

The company has had to examine or replace more than 120,000 bolts, he said.

"We want to be absolutely sure the rails meet all design specifications," he said. "Motorists shouldn't be concerned."" unless their car goes over

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