Skip to main content

Arcadis for Calcasieu Bridge replacement work

Replacement of the 70-year-old Calcasieu River Bridge in the US state of Louisiana will revive a connection between the cities of Lake Charles and Westlake.
By David Arminas June 12, 2025 Read time: 2 mins
The 2km-long Calcasieu River Bridge, opened in 1952, is an arched cantilever, rivet-connected Warren through truss for the main span located on Interstate 10 between Lake Charles and Westlake (image © Typhoonski/Dreamstime)

Arcadis has been appointed to support the design work for the I-10 Calcasieu Bridge Improvements Project in the US state of Louisiana.

The replacement of the 70-year-old Calcasieu River Bridge will revive a vital connection between the Louisiana cities of Lake Charles and Westlake. With a project cost valued at US$2.3 billion, the Calcasieu Design Partners will upgrade a crucial 9km stretch of I-10, delivering enhancements to improve safety, connectivity and sustainability.

The 2km-long Calcasieu River Bridge, opened in 1952, is an arched cantilever, rivet-connected Warren through truss for the main span located on Interstate 10 between Lake Charles and Westlake. “The Calcasieu River Bridge has served the region for 70 years, but as it nears the end of its lifespan, the need for intelligent, modern and sustainable solutions is more critical than ever,” said Alan Brookes, chief executive of Arcadis.

Arcadis is working as part of a joint venture with Janssen and Spaans Engineering, Modjeski and Masters as well as Huval and Associates – collectively known as the Calcasieu Design Partner. The team will support Louisiana Bridge Builders, a construction joint venture between Arcadis’ key client Acciona and Sacyr Construction.

The project is overseen by the concessionaire, Calcasieu Bridge Partners (Acciona, Sacyr and Plenary), in collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, also a key client of Arcadis.

Over eight years, Arcadis’ will update existing interchanges and roadways. Pulling on expertise from across North America, the Netherlands and the company’s Global Excellence Centers in India, Romania and the Philippines, Arcadis will deliver a range of specialised intelligent mobility, engineering and design services.

These include traffic engineering, including the development of a transportation management plan and the design of permanent signage, signals and pavement markings. There will be structural design work for sign support structures, roadway and drainage as well as bridge design for the I-10/I-210 flyover ramp and hydraulic modeling for the main span bridge.

Related Content

  • Design contract awarded for Indian bridge project
    March 26, 2018
    A major design contract has been awarded for a key bridge project in India. Consulting engineer COWI has been awarded the contract for the detailed design of the 10.3km Package 1 section of the new link. Meanwhile the Danish consultant Rambøll is to carry out work on the design for the 7.8km Package 2 section of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL). The Owner for MTHL is Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) The 22km link will be India's longest sea bridge and is expected to cost around
  • New bridge and road projects underway for Chile
    December 18, 2013
    Strong bids have been received for Chile’s Puente Industrial road bridge project, which will be built in Region VIII. Bidders included Spanish firm OHL as well as Besalco Concesiones-Concesiones Viarias Chile Tres and Sacyr Concesiones Chile. Work on the 2.5km bridge is expected to commence in 2014 and the project will cost some US$170 million to construct, with completion expected in 2017. The deal for the four lane bridge includes building access roads and involves a 30 year concession package. The Puente
  • New Angolan bridge offers improved connectivity
    September 30, 2013
    Drivers in Angola are benefiting from a bridge that spans the Catumbela River, taking the place of an old structure that had proven not fit for purpose. The US$35 million cable stayed bridge is located in the highway between Benguela and Lobito, around 7km from Angola’s Atlantic coast and is one of a series of new infrastructure developments in the country. Angola suffered a long period of war that impacted on its people and infrastructure. The war resulted in severe damage to the country’s road system alon
  • Responsive roadsign developed by student
    August 22, 2013
    A UK student hopes his new lenticular road signs which ‘pulse’ at drivers will lead to a revolution in the way motorists are given information on the roads. Meanwhile, a leading road marking firm is helping keep tourists safe in a spiritually significant town in Umbria, Italy. Guy Woodford reports You may think Charles Gale’s vision of creating the first ‘pulsing’ lenticular road sign was the result of months, even years, spent studying traffic and driver behaviour on the roads of his adopted student c