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

  • Rising to the challenge
    July 18, 2012
    Visualise today's concept of a major commercial traffic corridor in the western United States. A roadway responsible for delivering goods to Arizona, Nevada and Utah, that also connects Mexico to the United States to Canada through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). What springs to mind? A multi-lane highway carrying thousands of vehicles a day past cities at speeds up to 113km/hour, while egress ramps make sure vehicles get safely to city streets and their final destination. This is not the c
  • Bridge engineering worldwide
    July 1, 2013
    Guy Woodford looks at vital bridge construction, repair and inspection projects in China, Europe, North America and Australia The Heron Road Bridge in Ottawa, Ontario in Canada is a vital link within the City’s transport network, as it crosses the Rideau River, which divides the east and west parts of the City. Constructed in 1966-1967, the Heron Road Bridge is approximately 275m long and includes six lanes.
  • Temporary bridge replacement in the US
    July 2, 2019
    A temporary bridge structure provided by Acrow Bridge is maintaining traffic flow for a key crossing in Vermont. The bascule bridge is allowing both vehicular and vessel traffic to pass during the reconstruction work to the North Hero-Grand Isle Drawbridge in Vermont. The US$60 million project involves replacing the historic twin leaf bascule bridge on Lake Champlain. This modular steel bascule bridge is allowing transport to continue to and from the Lake Champlain island towns of North Hero and Grand Isl
  • Romanian bridge works now underway
    March 16, 2020
    Work is now underway on a key Romanian bridge project.